Belgian police open investigation on spectator who spat on Mathieu van der Poel: "We absolutely do not tolerate this kind of act"
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel took a fantastic solo win yesterday at the E3 Saxo Classic however it didn't come without it's incidents. It isn't the first time, but the Dutch star has been spat on by a spectator when riding to victory. An investigation has now been opened to identify the spectator.
This happened already in the final kilometers of the race, and was noticed by spectators. Although van der Poel did not react, in a post-race interview he was asked about it and was not pleased at all with the situation.
"Those are people who should not come to watch the race. I can't change anything about it myself. That it is something that keeps repeating itself? Unfortunately, yes."
However it is not a story that has seen it's end. The incident has sparked a quick reaction and speaking to De Telegraaf, the Chief of the Ronse police has said that an investigation has been opened into the matter and that there is currently an effort to identify the spectator and apply the necessary consequences.
"We want to send a clear message that we absolutely do not tolerate this kind of act. We call on supporters to show their love for cycling in a respectful and sporting manner during the upcoming races," he said.
"Cycling is part of our heritage. Everyone who is part of it, whether it concerns signallers, police officers, emergency workers or the athletes themselves, deserves respect from the spectators. People who can help us identify the man in the picture can always contact our services."
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Infelizmente ainda temos estes comportamentos no desporto. 🇳🇱 Mathieu van der Poel isolado na E3 Saxo Classic é cuspido por um espectador.#E3SaxoClassic pic.twitter.com/zEsduBmLTj
— falso plano (@falsoplanoblog) March 28, 2025
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