Skiing history-maker Marcel Hirscher's thirst for extreme sports

He's just become the first men's skier ever to clinch a fourth straight World Cup overall title -- but Marcel Hirscher's thirst for an adrenaline rush is so great that he can't wait to dabble in a spot of dirt biking, white water kayaking and climbing.

Hirscher finished fourth in the World Cup Finals giant slalom in Meribel, France, Sunday to take his overall lead over Norwegian Kjetil Jansrud to 60 points.

And when Jansrud, with only a minimal chance of overtaking that tally, opted not to compete in the season-ending slalom, the overall title went to Hirscher.

He said his plans were "to hang out a bit, to go on a big vacation with my girlfriend for sure," adding: "I'm looking forward to doing my hobbies -- dirt biking, white water kayaking, climbing. Stuff like that, and maybe traveling more around Europe."

Despite formulating his holiday plans, the 26-year-old Hirscher's mind is also very much on matching Marc Girardelli's men's record tally of five World Cup overall titles.

Speaking to CNN, the Austrian said becoming overall champion "means everything for me, and that's definitely the truth."

He added: "It was a long way to get there. We try to be professional in every direction. Training, physical training, mentally to be strong... all those things are so important. It's just a big puzzle.

"Each piece is working really well, and that is the most important reason why this is possible. I have a big team, and it is very professional. That is so important."

Hirscher's ambitions also encompass a triumph on a different stage by adding an Olympic gold medal to his list of achievements.

He won silver in the slalom at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi and said: "A lot of challenges are still waiting for me.

"It was never my biggest goal to be Olympic champion -- but if it happens it's really good."

Hirscher's father, Ferdinand, is part of his entourage, explaining that his role is "to make sure we get to the maximum as a team," and the skier said: "In ski racing, we have kind of a working relationship.

"But, especially when we're at home, it's just a normal relationship between a dad and his son.

"It wasn't always easy to find out the balance between those parts, but we found a pretty good way to handle it."

Hirscher said high levels of motivation had helped him achieve his astonishing levels of success -- "I think that, in me, there's an engine that wants to see me winning all the time" -- and that he hoped to pass on his knowledge through coaching talented young skiers.

Although he admitted the burden of becoming a sporting celebrity "wasn't easy for me... everyone knows you," he is still looking forward to enjoying a bit of time out as he unwinds over the summer.

But, ever the consummate professional, he warned: "There is not so much time.

"If you want to be a successful athlete in the next season, you have to get in shape pretty soon and start the engine once again."