Ineos Grenadiers have confirmed the signing of Thymen Arensman from Team DSM, with the up-and-coming Dutchman joining the British team on a two-year contract from 2023.
The transfer had been heavily rumoured since the early summer, but was formally announced on Thursday, 10 days after Arensman won the queen stage at the Vuelta a España.
The 22-year-old finished the Spanish Grand Tour in sixth place overall, marking his breakthrough as a potential general classification contender in the future.
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"Thymen’s such an exciting rider and, as we’ve just seen at the Vuelta, joins a host of young GC riders that promise to be the foundation of our sport for years to come," said Ineos Grenadiers deputy team principal, Rod Ellingworth.
"He will bring a style of riding which fits completely into what we are looking to achieve going forward, and having already tasted success at the very top ensures that we have a rider who will add significant depth to the Ineos Grenadiers of the future.”
Arensman, who came through the renowned SEG Racing development set-up, has consistently impressed since turning professional with Team DSM mid-way through 2020 and has taken a major step forward this year.
After placing sixth at Tirreno-Adriatico and third at Tour of the Alps, he rode the GIro d'Italia for the first time and came close to stage wins on a mountain stage and the final time trial. He then finished runner-up at the Tour de Pologne before heading to the Vuelta, where he won atop the mammoth summit finish at Sierra Nevada before riding a strong final week to take sixth place.
With a strong time trial and a penchant for long climbs, plus a background in cyclo-cross and a podium at the U23 Paris-Roubaix, Arensman is an all-round rider who's looking to move closer to Grand Tour podiums in the future.
"One of the biggest reasons for me joining this team is a question that my parents asked me: ‘What team did you look up to as a little kid and dreamed about riding for?’ The Ineos Grenadiers is the answer," Arensman said.
"Together with all the knowledge, resources and people in the team, my choice was made and it really feels like the correct step in my career. I feel I can still make steps in the crucial disciplines for riding a GC: time trial and climbing and there is no better place to improve those skills than this team."
Arensman is Ineos' fourth signing for 2023, following Connor Swift from Arkéa-Samsic and British youngsters Leo Hayter and Josh Tarling. The team are losing Richard Carapaz to EF Education-EasyPost, leaving a hole in their Grand Tour leadership echelon, which Arensman could fill in time.
Andrey Amador is following Carapaz to EF, while Paris-Roubaix winner Dylan van Baarle is off to rivals Jumbo-Visma, Eddie Dunbar is moving to BikeExchange-Jayco, and Richie Porte is retiring.
Egan Bernal is the team's leading Grand Tour rider, while Geraint Thomas showed he's not done yet with his Tour de France podium, but there's a major question mark over Adam Yates, who is out of contract and still on the market.
