"This is attempted murder": Van der Poel promises legal action against those who threw a jerrycan in his face

Mathieu van der Poel's third victory in Paris-Roubaix was marred by a regrettable act. 30 kilometers from the finish line, the Dutchman was hit in the face by a full water bottle thrown at him from the crowd. An incident that Van der Poel is willing to pursue.

Van der Poel calls for immediate action against those who threw the water bottle

The Dutchman achieved a historic feat with his third consecutive victory in the race, but once again had to endure the incomprehensible actions of some fans. This time he was hit in the face with a full water bottle while riding at over 50 km/h on one of the cobblestone sections.

Upon crossing the finish line, he wasted no time addressing the incident: "We cannot let this go." "It was a full bottle and it hurt a lot. If it had hit my nose, it would have broken. This is attempted murder," Van der Poel declared in the mixed zone.

RECOMENDADO

Does the current UCI limit for bicycle weight make sense?

What is the difference between mountain and road saddles?

What benefits does bicarbonate have for cyclists?

What Pogacar took for cramps in Roubaix

We tested the new Cannondale Topstone Carbon 2025: the gravel bike that doesn't give up anything

Complete list of the highest paid cyclists of 2025

"Hopefully the police can identify the culprit, because this needs to go to court. If the UCI does not take action, we will do it from the team. This is not the same as throwing beer." Van der Poel thus recalled other incidents he has recently had to endure in cyclocross circuits.

On the other hand, Philip Roodhooft, manager of the Alpecin team, also commented on the incident, but from a different perspective: "These kinds of people do not deserve attention. The important thing is to see if the authorities can identify them, but we should not give them more prominence than they have already had. Especially when there are tens of thousands of fans who do appreciate what Mathieu and the other cyclists do here."

This incident once again opens the debate on the behavior of the public at races.