Keystone-SDA
French justice has opened an investigation for “violence with weapon” after cyclist Mathieu Van der Poel was the victim of the jet of a can during the last Paris-Roubaix. The Dutchman nevertheless won the race.
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14 avril 2025 – 21:05
(Keystone-ATS) The Lille prosecution confirmed on Monday that it had opened an investigation for “violence with weapon” after the jet of the phony of which was the victim on Sunday the Dutch runner Mathieu Van der Poel during Paris-Roubaix. The fact occurred in the paved sector of Templeuve, about 33 kilometers from the finish in Roubaix.
The Lille prosecution, however, did not give more information on this survey at this stage.
The parquet of West Flanders, a division of Kortrijk, confirmed that a man presenting himself as the author of this gesture had presented himself spontaneously to the police on Monday morning.
The man had come to attend the race with a bus chartered by a Belgian fan club from another runner, Slovenian Matej Mohoric from the Bahrain Victorious team, according to a press release from this group published on his Facebook and Instagram accounts.
“Like a stone in the figure”
The management of this group called “Matej Matjes” assures that the man in question is not a member of their fan club, and that she had identified him and contacted on Sunday evening to tell him to present herself to the police. “Like everyone, we are disgusted by this act,” said this club.
“It is unacceptable. It was a full can, he weighed half a kilo and I was driving at 40 km/h. It is like receiving a stone in the figure, “said Mathieu Van der Poel after the Paris-Roubaix race, which he ended up winning.
“It hurt me very much. I hope that we can identify the spectator and initiate prosecution, “added the Dutch champion.
Mathieu Van der Poel had already been targeted by sputum during other races.
