Straight back to golf: Van der Poel unwinds in style after tough Namur comeback win

Mathieu van der Poel did not spend long dwelling on his demanding return to cyclocross in Namur. Less than 24 hours after winning on the Citadel circuit, the reigning world champion was already back in motion, this time swapping mud and barriers for fairways and greens.

On Monday, Van der Poel was spotted on the golf course, reposting footage on Instagram that showed him calmly holing a putt before strolling towards the camera. It was a familiar sight. Away from racing, the Dutchman is known to be an accomplished golfer, and the relaxed session offered a sharp contrast to the physical toll of Sunday’s World Cup.

Namur was never expected to be a gentle reintroduction. Van der Poel himself described the race as a difficult one to open his winter campaign, acknowledging that mistakes crept into his ride and that he had to work for the victory rather than dominate from the outset. “I think it was quite okay for a first cross on such a course,” he said after the race. “Obviously I made a few small mistakes here and there, but it was certainly not bad.”

The decision to head straight to the golf course fits with the wider picture Van der Poel has outlined for this winter. Unlike last season, when he felt he reached a high level too quickly, his build up has been deliberately calmer. “Last year I had the feeling that I was just a bit too good too quickly, both in training and in the first races,” he explained. “That is why this year I indicated that the build up could be a bit calmer, because last year I felt that I was no longer improving much.”

The timing is notable. Van der Poel’s cyclocross campaign gathers momentum quickly, with his first head to head clash with long time rival Wout van Aert scheduled for Saturday in Antwerp. For now, though, recovery and rhythm appear to be the priority.

A muddy win on Sunday, a relaxed round of golf on Monday, and another major test looming. Van der Poel’s winter has started, but he is clearly in no rush.