Six years ago, he was discovering the summits of the Tour de l’Avenir. Today, he dominates them. By winning solo this Saturday at the summit of Superbagnères, at the end of a very intense Pyrenean stage, Thymen ARENSMAN (INEOS Grenadiers), at 25, secured the greatest victory of his career. And served as a reminder, if any were needed, of how much the Tour de l’Avenir remains the matrix of tomorrow’s champions.
Ascent to the Light
On the slopes of the Hourquette d’Ancizan and then the Col de Peyresourde, the Dutchman broke away with power and lucidity. At the finish, he raised his arms, alone, ahead of the general classification leaders, VINGEGAARD and POGACAR, who were more than a minute behind. After months of struggle, between a winter virus and repeated injuries, the climber with his aerial style is finally rediscovering the brilliance he was promised.
The Tour de l’Avenir is in his DNA
Before reaching the pinnacle of world cycling, ARENSMAN revealed himself in 2018 at the Tour de l’Avenir, the benchmark event for U23 cycling. Second in the general classification that year, behind a certain Tadej POGACAR, he had already impressed with his racing intelligence and his ability to string together efforts in the high mountains.
It was in this race that he revealed his profile as a complete rider: capable of performing in team time trials, responding to attacks in the Alps, and managing a demanding stage race. He was only 18 years old.
“That’s when everything changed,” he confided a few years later. “It was the Tour de l’Avenir that made me believe I could become a professional rider.”
From the Tour de l’Avenir to the Tour de France, the Obligatory Passage
Since its creation in 1961, the Tour de l’Avenir has consistently served as a springboard for the greatest. FIGNON, INDURAIN, QUINTANA, BERNAL, POGACAR… All have written their names on the list of winners or made their mark there. ARENSMAN is no exception. By reaching the podium at just 18 years old, he already had the skills of the highest level in his legs.
His career is not unique. Every year, the French event produces talents who shape the WorldTour peloton. Arensman, like Gaudu, Jorgenson, and Soler, has passed through this natural selection process. This Tour de l’Avenir, designed as a miniature copy of the Grande Boucle, remains the ideal antechamber to professionalism, with its long stages, Alpine passes, and strategic time trials.
A stage, a symbol
ARENSMAN’s victory today is more than just a stage success. It is the culmination of a cycle, a trajectory begun on the roads of Ain, Savoie, and Isère. It also gives heart to an INEOS Grenadiers team seeking renewal, and confirms that the Dutchman still has room for improvement.
