“After the finish I collapsed”Arensman’s first Tour de France stage win came atop Luchon-Superbagnères, where he held off world champion Pogacar to take a solo victory from the breakaway. Days later at La Plagne, he stunned the favourites again, launching a late attack from the group of GC contenders and narrowly denying Jonas Vingegaard by two seconds.
“I went all-out. Over the limit,” Arensman recalled. “After the finish I collapsed. That’s how deep you have to go when you’re fighting to hold off guys like Pogacar and Vingegaard.”
It was a moment of catharsis for a rider who, despite flashes of brilliance since his early days at Sunweb, had spent years struggling to unlock his full potential.
Arensman was completely spent as he crossed the line
A new mindset, a new Arensman
Heading into the 2025 season, Arensman decided to rip up the script. He brought in a new coach, adjusted his training, and — most importantly — transformed his mental approach to racing.
“Ultimately, it’s only cycling,” he said. “For me as a rider, and for the people who love this sport, it’s an important side issue — but still a side issue. In the past, cycling became the main thing in my life, and that only leads to conflict with yourself.”
That sense of perspective freed him from the pressure that had so often held him back. When he lost time in the early stages of the Giro d’Italia, he refused to panic. When he won a stage at the Tour of the Alps, he stayed grounded. And when the Tour came around, he finally rode with the freedom and self-belief that had been missing.
“People only see the result — not the process”
Although his Tour wins earned the headlines, Arensman revealed that his third place at Paris-Nice was the most meaningful result of his season.
“Because my coach and I know what lies behind that performance,” he explained. “People might just see a podium photo or a name in the results, but there’s a long process behind it — one that’s still ongoing.”
It was in Paris-Nice that Arensman realised his new approach was working, both mentally and physically — confirmation that stepping away from self-imposed pressure could lead to his best-ever form.
Eyes on the next chapter
Looking ahead to 2026, Arensman plans to target the general classification in one Grand Tour while devoting more time to refining his time-trialling. And if his words are any indication, the Dutchman’s renewed mindset might be his most powerful weapon of all.
He doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but his reflections suggest a rider who has rediscovered balance and belief. The Arensman who lines up next season will do so with the same simple mindset that carried him to his Tour stage wins: give everything, accept the outcome, and move forward.
For the Dutchman, that’s not a slogan — it’s the lesson earned from going “over the limit” and crossing the line utterly spent.