Mathieu van der Poel spent Sunday showcasing his dominance in the World Cup race in Benidorm. On Monday, he celebrated his 31st birthday. But instead of champagne, parties, or rest, the world champion had something far simpler in mind: a long ride with a coffee stop.
“Normally with a long training ride, but that is something I really like doing. On the way we stop for a coffee. That is always nice,” van der Poel told Wielerflits when asked about his birthday plans.
It was a quietly human answer, coming less than 24 hours after he had turned the Benidorm World Cup into essentially a solo exhibition.
Dominance From the Start
The race was essentially decided in the opening lap. Van der Poel accelerated on the rising finish straight and quickly pulled away from the field.
“That was a bit unexpected. I also didn’t expect beforehand that it would go like that,” he said. “But after one lap together with Tibor I got a nice gap on the start-finish. Then I wanted to make the race hard, because otherwise you can spend an hour fighting for position. I immediately got a nice gap, and then I knew that at some point they would start looking at each other.”
From there, Benidorm became less a contest and more a controlled solo effort. Van der Poel maintained steady, consistent laps, stretching his lead to over half a minute before the halfway point. He finished alone, relaxed enough to cross the line on one wheel—a signature style of celebration for the Dutch star.
Part of a Bigger Plan
Benidorm was not just about winning. It was part of a bigger preparation plan, aiming at peaking later in the season.
“I am very happy. I think I have taken a step,” van der Poel said. “After two training weeks I did feel a bit tired, but I was still able to ride a good race, so I am happy about that.”
That mix of fatigue and growing strength is exactly what he wants at this stage of training.
“I have the feeling that that has worked. Despite the fatigue, I felt that there was a bit more power there today. I am happy about that,” he said.
In fact, the race was added to his program at the last minute, more as a hard training day than a must-win target. The result confirmed what he hoped: he wasn’t fully fresh, but he was strong. Even the finish wheelie reflected that mood.
“Not really. That was a bit of a moment of inspiration,” he said. “An uphill section is ideal for that. It is just a little easier to do there.”
Looking Ahead: Road Season Still Uncertain
Van der Poel also left questions open about his road season.
“That is in the back of my mind, but I have not decided anything about that myself yet,” he said when asked about a possible early start on the road.
For now, though, the focus is simple: after dominating Benidorm and confirming that his form is moving in the right direction, his birthday plan is nothing extravagant.
It’s about riding his bike for a long time, stopping for coffee, and enjoying the kind of day that brought him to this point in the first place.
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