Man who spat at Mathieu van der Poel during E3 Saxo Classic set to be fined but escapes further punishment
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel has sadly been no stranger to crowd trouble of late. One of these notable example came at the E3 Saxo Classic when the Alpecin-Deceuninck leader received a disgusting spit from one of those in attendance at the road side. Thankfully, the culprit is set for repercussion for his actions although admittedly, they aren't quite as severe as some may have hoped.
The man who spat at Van der Poel during the E3 Saxo Classic on March 28th has been identified by police and has now fully admitted to doing the act. According to police in Ronse, Belgium — where the incident occurred — he now faces a fine of up to €350. It is also noted however, that the public prosecutor has decided not to pursue further legal action that could have led to jail time.
"People who do that really shouldn't come to races," Van der Poel said of the incident afterwards. “Unfortunately, I can't change what happened. It's disappointing, especially because it's not the first time this has happened to me.”
The incident took place roughly 30 kilometres from the finish, while Van der Poel was riding solo at the front of the race, en route to his eventual victory. A spectator, beer in hand, spat at him on the Karnemelkbeekstraat, with the moment was captured by TV cameras and the culprit's face subsequently broadcast all over the world in replays posted to social media.
As mentioned, Van der Poel has sadly been the target of multiple acts of aggression from supposed cycling fans recently. Just last weekend, during his history-making win at Paris-Roubaix, he was struck in the face by a full water bottle thrown from the crowd in the cobbled section at Templeuve, again while leading the race solo.
That man too has now been identified and handed himself over to police. The result of that is likely to worse than just a fine however, especially after Van der Poel himself called the incident 'attempted manslaughter'.
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
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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