Bottle incident at Paris-Roubaix leaves Mathieu van der Poel seeking 'legally imposed consequences' as he experiences an impact akin to being struck by a stone
The 2023 Paris-Roubaix race saw a controversial incident that disrupted the momentum of Mathieu van der Poel, a prominent cyclist. During the race, a spectator threw a bottle at van der Poel, striking him in the face.
The incident occurred around 35km from the end of the race, on the Templeuve sector of cobbles. Van der Poel, who was charging towards a potential third successive victory, described the incident as "unacceptable" and "not normal". He compared the impact to a "stone hitting my face".
This is not the first time van der Poel has been targeted. He has also experienced similar incidents at the E3 Saxo Classic and last year at Paris-Roubaix. In fact, during the Roubaix race this year, he rode without a working radio or power meter.
Van der Poel's team, Alpecin-Deceuninck, has stated that they will take legal action if the UCI does not do so. The rider who threw the bottle is believed to have been a fan of the Jumbo-Visma team. Commentator Adam Blythe described the perpetrator as a "scumbag".
The incident has highlighted the ongoing safety challenges riders face in open-road cycling events with large crowds. It has intensified conversations around improving race security without losing the open and passionate atmosphere fans bring to the sport.
Bottle throwing and similar dangerous acts by spectators have occurred in professional cycling before, though they are relatively rare. These incidents often lead to stricter security protocols or appeals to spectators to behave respectfully.
While public details on specific legal proceedings or arrests related to this incident have not been widely reported, Mathieu van der Poel expressed hope that the police can identify the spectator responsible for the incident.
Despite these challenges, van der Poel managed to secure a victory in the Roubaix race, making his three-time win "super special" and "exceptional". The cyclist admitted that the Roubaix race was the one in which he suffered the most, having also been involved in a crash with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) earlier in the race.
Philip Roodhooft, van der Poel's team's manager, refused to discuss the incident. However, the cycling community continues to express concern and support for van der Poel, calling for improved safety measures and fan behaviour at future races.
Spectators playing a detrimental role in sports events is not a new phenomenon, as illustrated by the bottle-throwing incident at the 2023 Paris-Roubaibix race that affected Mathieu van der Poel. The ongoing safety challenges for athletes in open-road cycling events necessitate conversations about enhancing race security while preserving the passionate atmosphere that fans bring to sporting events.
