During Paris-Roubaix, a spectator deliberately threw a bottle toward Mathieu van der Poel. A dangerous and unacceptable incident. We are relieved that Mathieu remained unharmed and confirm that, as a team, we will be filing an official complaint against the perpetrator to formally denounce this behavior.
However, 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 misbehavior 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.
We will continue to monitor the legal process internally so that this misconduct does not receive more attention than it warrants. At the same time, we are calling 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.
