“It was a few solid evenings" - Mathieu van der Poel celebrates World Championships win with three-day bender in Marbella

Mathieu van der Poel was back in road cycling action for the first time since winning the Rainbow Jersey at the Glasgow World Championships earlier today at Etten-Leur after the race had hired a private jet to get him back from holiday in time.

Finishing fourth on the day behind winner Fabio Jakobsen, van der Poel spoke afterwards about what he's been up to since the Glasgow World Championships and his plans for the remainder of the season. "I'm going to start cycling again and see how it goes. We will then make a decision on that basis,” the Dutchman told Het Nieuwsblad when asked about whether or not we will see the Rainbow Jersey in a World Tour road race this year.

Despite winning the road race, there was a tinge of disappointment for van der Poel leaving Scotland after crashing out of the Mountain Bike race. Nevertheless, he is keen to continue testing himself in the discipline before next year's Paris Olympics. “I also want to do a test event in Paris at the end of September for the mountain bike Olympics," he explains. "So I still have to keep training anyway and then I prefer to race when I feel good.”

“That kind of cancelled out my victory on the road. That last race always sticks out a bit," van der Poel admits. "I certainly wasn't keen on becoming world champion, but I just wanted to end my season on a good note. But after such a clumsy crash I was angry with myself.”

Between the Worlds and Etten-Leur, van der Poel has been enjoying himself on holiday, soaking up the sun and sinking a few well-earned drinks.

“I have been in Marbella with friends for three days. Partied? Yes,” he said laughing. “It was a few solid evenings. After the World Championships, there was quite a bit of decompression, so I will see how I feel when I start training again.”