“It was a full bidon, and it hurt a lot. If I take that bidon on my nose, it’s broken,” an angered Van der Poel said after the race on Sunday.
The sport’s governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), stated that they, along with the riders’ union (CPA), race organisers association (AIOCC) and teams association (AIGCP), “unanimously condemn, in the strongest terms, the unacceptable behaviour of a spectator”.
The incident was a stain on what was otherwise a brilliant edition of Paris-Roubaix, with World Champion Tadej Pogačar impressing in his debut, nearly matching Van der Poel blow-for-blow until he overcooked a turn and had a minor spill on sector 9.
The spectator in question quickly became the subject of a police inquiry, and he turned himself in to the police in Waregem, Belgium. According to Het Nieuwsblad , the man had travelled to Paris-Roubaix along with the Flemish flan climb of Matej Mohorič, who allowed their bus to accept non-members to offset costs.
According to a club member, the perpetrator was contrite, stating, “He told us that he was not himself and that he wanted to apologize to everyone. He is very sorry.”
However, the UCI wants to take the matter further, stating, “Such behaviour cannot be tolerated in the context of a cycling event” and said they “will explore, in conjunction with the competent authorities, all the legal channels at their disposal so that such behaviour is duly and severely punished, as has already been the case in the past.”
Van der Poel, as one of the most prominent and successful riders in road and cyclocross, has been the subject of numerous attacks – from being spat upon last month while riding to victory in the E3 Saxo Classic , having a hat thrown at him in last year’s Paris-Roubaix, and being doused with beer during various cyclocross races.
Other spectators have faced legal action after endangering riders while attending pro cycling events. The fan who threw a hat in Van der Poel’s path in last year’s Paris-Roubaix escaped punishment , but a woman holding a sign reading “Allez Opi-Omi” was fined €1,200 in a French court and sued by the CPA for €1 .
The UCI, CPA, AIOCC and AIGCP promised to take similar action “in the future against any act that threatens the physical integrity of riders.”
Alpecin-Deceuninck are also pursuing punishment for the bidon toss, calling it “a dangerous and unacceptable incident”.
“We will be filing an official complaint against the perpetrator to formally denounce this behaviour,” the team’s statement read.
“This issue goes beyond that single act. Too often, we observe that such misconduct is either caused by or accompanied by excessive alcohol consumption. What occurred on Sunday represents an escalation of earlier incidents, with Mathieu van der Poel not being the sole target.
“We have also noted that during other races – both in CX and on the road – the misbehaviour of a few individuals can have far-reaching consequences. It jeopardizes the safety of our riders, overshadows the enjoyment and reputation of genuine cycling enthusiasts, and diverts attention from the sporting achievements.”
The UCI echoed those sentiments, stating, “Cycling is one of the few sports that offers such proximity between athletes and the public during events. This is one of its assets, both for the riders themselves and for the spectators. However, this particularity implies an increased responsibility for spectators at an event, whose behaviour can not only influence the course of the event but also, and even more seriously, endanger the physical integrity of the riders.”
Alpecin-Deceuninck said they will “monitor the legal process internally so that this misconduct does not receive more attention than it warrants” and called for “dialogue and cooperation among all involved parties – riders, teams, federations, organizers, and government authorities – to implement measures that prevent individuals with bad intentions from infiltrating cycling events and to take proactive steps at known critical points”.
