The spectator who threw a can at Van der Poel during the Paris-Roubaix has been handed over to the police

The third victory of Van der Poel in the Paris-Roubaix was overshadowed by an unpleasant incident in which a spectator threw a bidon at the face of the Dutchman during the race. Now, the Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad has announced that the responsible person has voluntarily surrendered to the police.

The spectator who threw a jerrycan at Van der Poel in the Paris-Roubaix surrenders to the police

A fan, standing on the edge of the road, threw a full bidon that hit Van der Poel in the face. The Dutchman was very angry about this incident once he crossed the finish line and stated that it was "an attempted murder" as he was riding at over 50 km/h on a cobbled section. "We cannot let this happen. It was a full bidon and it hurt a lot. If it had hit my nose, it would have broken. Hopefully the police can identify the man, because there has to be a trial," he concluded.

We now know that although the attack occurred in French territory, the man voluntarily presented himself to the Belgian police when he found out they were looking for him, so it can be assumed that he is a Belgian citizen.

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It is not yet known if his attack will have legal consequences and it remains to be seen which justice system will handle the case, as it occurred in French territory.

This incident reminds us of the case in 2021 where a French fan caused a massive crash in the Tour peloton with injuries of various degrees to several cyclists. In that case, the fan did not intend to harm anyone and still the French Prosecutor's Office requested a one-year prison sentence and a fine of €15,000. That case was resolved with just a final fine of €1200, but it set a precedent and showed that the Prosecutor's Office was willing to pursue the complaint to the end, even when the Tour itself withdrew the one they had filed against the fan.