Sputum, urine, can … why Mathieu van der Poel attacks the face by certain “spectators”

The qualifiers are missing to talk about this assault suffered by Mathieu Van der Poel, this Sunday, April 13, 2025, whileHe tamed the paving stones of Paris-Roubaix For the third time in a row.

The Alpecin runner is launched at 40 km/h, in the paved sector of Templeuve, 33 kilometers from the finish in Roubaix, when a spectator throws him a contained container in the face.

” Anything ! Abruted, ”is carrying out the commentator and former cyclist Steve Chainel on Eurosport. And honestly, we think like him: total idiocy, complete debility, but above all nameless danger.

Earlier in the race, he had already been targeted by another spectator who seems to have paid the contents of his glass over the Dutchman. Gestures ultimately without consequences for “MDVP” which will impose itself on the velodrome.

“A homicide attempt”

The winner of northern hell believed after race that it was an “involuntary homicide attempt”.

It is like receiving a stone in the figure. 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. It hurt me very much. I hope we can identify the spectator and initiate prosecution.

This Monday, “an investigation was opened from the chief of violence with a weapon in order to identify and challenge the respondent,” said the Lille prosecutor’s office.

A little later in the day, Alpecin-Deceuninck informed by way that she would file a complaint against the author of the facts.

The suspect would feed deep regrets

Our Flemish colleagues from Het Nieuwsblad indicate that the suspect would have surrendered to the Belgian police himself and would feed deep regrets.

The author of this jet of can came with a Belgian fan club from Slovenian Matej Mohoric who communicated on social networks on Monday, indicating that he was no longer welcome.

We, like everyone else, are disgusted by this action and then want to move away from this in all possible ways. We are a fan club for a runner, not against a runner. The person in question has also been informed that he will never be welcome again.

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Unfortunately not a first

For MVDP, Unfortunately, it is only the last assault on a list that lengthens abnormally.

During a cyclo-cross world Cup round, in Hulst (Netherlands), the world champion in the discipline had received sputum, beer jets and even urine. The grandson of Raymond Poulidor then responded, the next round, spitting on the spectator.

Already, in 2024, he had received sputum during the Tour des Flanders before a woman, still in Paris-Roubaix, threw him a cap on the shelves of his wheels.

Before Paris-Roubaix, during the E3 Grand Prix, a spectator, a bottle of beer in hand, advanced to the Dutch star to send him a spit.

These are people who better not come and see the race. I can’t change anything myself. But this is a phenomenon that is repeated, unfortunately yes.

Why so much hatred?

Therefore, the question arises: why is the champion the target of so many assaults? There are several hypotheses, to all which We can also count factors like alcohol, Even if none can rationally explain these dangerous gestures.

The first is the attitude of MVDP. Often cold, with few emotions when it flies cycling and the most prestigious races of a day. Add to that a suspicion of arrogance as when he arrives in Lamborghini to a cyclo-cross. And it can thus create frustration, especially in some Belgians, because of its duel with the darling of the flat country, Wout Van Aert.

What feed the rivalry between Belgians and Dutch. If for a while the two runners were at a similar level, for a few seasons, it is Mathieu van der Poel who outrageously dominates the debates. From there to explain anti-van der Poel behaviors?

It is a hypothesis shared by the Belgian journalist Specialized Maxime Jacques to the Parisian: “I note that we didn’t have that when the rivalry with Van Aert was in full swing. There, as it is more complicated for the Belgian, We feel a form of spite [des spectateurs]. »

If the love of Belgium for Wout Van Aert is not to be demonstrated, this resentment towards his enemy brother, stronger, does not in any way excuse these gestures which were all carried out in Flanders or close to this region.

Finally, and others experienced it before MVDP, it is a certain detestation of the champion and his domination. At the PLA d’Adet, on July 14, 2024, Tadej Pogacar had received Chips in the face.

In 2015, Christopher Froome was also spitting on it during the big loop. And if we go back even further, in 1975, it was Eddy Merckx who, in full ascent of Puy-de-Dôme, had received a punch in the liver from a spectator.

Being the strongest is ultimately the only wrong of Mathieu Van der Poel. And those who blame him for that, only have to stay pester on their sofa.

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