After yesterday’s opening road stage, the riders would take to their TT bikes this afternoon in Hungary; faced with a 9.2 kilometre long blast around the streets of Budapest, finishing atop a punchy climb. With lots of changes of directions and tight turns, it would prove to be a technical TT route as riders looked to put the power down coming out of the corners and saving something for the closing climb.

The team’s earlier runners all set out and completed solid efforts agains the clock but all with one eye on future days to come, saving some energy. Penultimate Team DSM rider down the ramp was Thymen Arensman who set a very good time, going eighth fastest at the intermediate split before pushing on the ascent, crossing the line for what was a provisional second place with a time of 12 minutes and eight seconds. Romain Bardet would be last in black and blue to leave the start gate and he also would set a good time, giving everything until the end to stop the clock in 12 minutes and 14 seconds.

With all other competitors finished, Arensman would ultimately claim a fine tenth place on the stage with Bardet not too far back in 17th, moving up on the GC in the process; making it a good day out for the team.

Arensman said: “It was a pretty technical course that suited the punchy riders. We were talking about it in the bus and it was almost like a cyclocross race today. It was about going full towards the corners and accelerating out of them, which isn’t my strongest suit. We did a good time trial today though as a team, especially Romain, and I’m looking forward to supporting him throughout the three weeks.”

Team DSM coach Matt Winston added: “It was a good, solid TT from the guys. We came through the TT in a really good way to still be in the GC fight, not losing much time, if any, to the majority of the pack. I think we can be really satisfied with that today and for sure we have made gains in the time trial over the last 12 months, thanks to all of the hard work behind the scenes from everyone.”