ALEX DOWSETT will go into next week’s Tour of Beijing in buoyant mood after his recent exploits at the UCI World Time Trial Championships, in the Netherlands.

The Maldon-born sprinter raised the bar to a new level by finishing an impressive eighth in Limburg, and while he dropped out of the UCI World Road Race four days later, the 23-year-old is feeling confident following a controlled race in Holland.

His attentions will now turn to China and the five-stage race which begins on Tuesday in Tian An Men Square and finishes in the Olympic Stadium.

The final stage, on October 13 starts in Chang Ping and finishes in Ping Gu.

“I was very happy with my performance in The Netherlands as I did not have it in my mind where I wanted to finish before the race,” said Dowsett.

“All I knew is what I needed and wanted to do and I stuck to quite a tactical plan to pace myself and it worked.

“I think I learned quite a lot over that weekend, how to pace myself, as I usually try and go as hard as I can early on in a race and that can create overkill.

“I was nowhere in the first couple of splits but I finished strongly and I was only 30 seconds off the podium.

“There were a few missing from the field, the likes of (Fabian) Cancellara, (Bradley) Wiggins and (Chris) Froome but you can only deal with what you are faced with.”

Dowsett faced the worst of the conditions in the World Time Trial, competing in the pouring rain and while he is expecting conditions of a very different kind in Beijing the Team Sky rider, who suffers from haemophilia, is confident he will be able to handle it.

“The smog is always difficult in Beijing but it will be the same for everyone and I will be prepared for it,” he said.

“In The Netherlands, the bad weather hit just before I started and I think that went slightly unnoticed.”