The man who threw a full bidon at Mathieu van der Poel’s face during the finale of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday has turned himself in to the Mira police zone in West Flanders. His identity has not been made public, but Belgian media report that he has expressed remorse and has already been questioned by police.
The incident took place on the Carrefour de l’Arbre sector, as Van der Poel was riding at full speed towards what would become his third victory at Paris-Roubaix. The bottle was thrown from close range and hit the Dutchman in the face, yet he managed to stay upright and complete his solo to the velodrome.
“This is attempted manslaughter,” Van der Poel said bluntly after the race. “It was a full bidon and it hurt a lot. If it had hit me on the nose, it would have been broken.”
Witnesses initially pointed to a group of French-speaking spectators, but the fact that the man handed himself in to the police in West Flanders suggests he may be Flemish. Police confirmed that the man has now been questioned. According to reports, the act was committed in a moment of temporary insanity.
Van der Poel insisted after the race that the incident could not go unpunished. “There really needs to be a court case. If the UCI doesn’t prosecute him or her, we’ll probably do it through the team.”
Philip Roodhooft, team manager at Alpecin-Deceuninck, did not rule out legal action either. “But I think it’s up to the authorities to take the first steps here. Maybe this is more of a societal problem than something that’s just about cycling.”
The organisers of Paris-Roubaix may also file a complaint with the police.
Series of incidents
This is not the first time Van der Poel has been the target of unacceptable behaviour by spectators:
- In Paris-Roubaix 2024, a woman threw a cap at his bike.
- At the Tour of Flanders, he was showered with beer.
- At the E3 Saxo Classic, a man spat in his direction.
- In Hulst, late 2023, he was doused with beer and urine during a cyclocross race.
