Van der Poel "thought I could fix it myself" - Dutchman opens up about World Championships drama
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel has given declarations for the first time since the start of the men's Elite Road Race at the World Championships, following an altercation with two minor girls in the team hotel the night before which is currently occupying the headlines in the cycling world.
Van der Poel's lawyer managed to bring the trial hearing to an earlier date, to which the Dutchman pled guilty and paid a fine, but was given his passport back. Arriving back at the Netherlands alongside the Dutch entourage, he talked to reporters on site who eagerly awaited to hear what he had to comment on the altercation, which has seen him banned from returning to Australia for three years.
He admits to the event, “but not with the intention of hurting her," he told VTM. "Anyone who knows me knows that I have never hurt anyone. Those rumors about pushing, they're not true. There are two versions of the story. Only it was difficult from Australia to refute that.”
A video has emerged showing the footage, in which van der Poel enters the room of the minors after they repeatedly knocked on his door. He's been arrested shortly after, but was able to return to the hotel hours later.
“I'm sorry and I made a mistake. I shouldn't have done that. But unfortunately it has happened," he continued. "I should have called the front desk or notified someone but thought I could fix it myself. That turned out wrong. It's up to me to put this behind me. I am already happy to be back home, where I can find some peace and quiet.”
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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Mathieu van der Poel back in Belgium after his #Wollongong2022 hotel disaster (@nieuwsbladsport)
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