Before receiving a can in the face in Paris-Roubaix, Sunday, Mathieu Van der Poel had been the target of a spit of a spectator during the E3, Classic Flandrienne, on March 28.
France Télévisions – Sport writing
Published 15/04/2025 15:38 Reading time: 1min
Nothing stops Mathieu van der Poel, not even the incivility of spectators. The Dutchman, who won Paris-Roubaix on Sunday despite the jet of a can in his face, also won the E3, a classic Flandrian, on March 28, after being the target of a spit. The author of this spit has been identified and will be sanctioned with a fine “Running 350 euros”The Renaix police (Belgium) were announced on Tuesday April 15, where the incident took place.
Only in mind about thirty kilometers from the finish, Mathieu Van der Poel had been the victim of a spit of a spectator, beer in hand, in the Karnemelkbeekstraat in Renaix. The facts had been filmed by television cameras. “The people who do that, better not attend the races. Unfortunately I cannot change things, it’s a shame that it is repeated because it happened to me”then declared Van der Poel.
The grandson of Raymond Poulidor has already been the victim of several malicious acts, including the jet of the can in the face during Paris-Roubaix. His team has also announced that he wanted to file a complaint, while the Lille prosecutor’s office opened an investigation for “violence with a weapon”.
