His comeback on December 13 made headlines in the evening papers.

Nils van der Poel from Trollhättan beat the German Inzell world year best and became the seventh fastest of all time in the 10,000 meters.

It was his first major competition after the 2018 Olympics.

Where has Nils van der Poel been?

And why did he disappear?

- What is it that means the most to me to sacrifice to be as good as possible in the future?

For me, it was sacrificing my skill to be a good skater for two years to do something else, so that in the long run I can get where I want to go.

It was to some extent foolhardy and a plan that raised eyebrows.

But for me it felt well thought out and wise, says van der Poel.

See the full report with Nils van der Poel in the player below

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Olympian Nils van der Poel disappeared - now he is back