News 2025 man throws bottle mathieu van der poel paris roubaix 20250415 p5lrsb.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Man hands himself in to police after throwing bottle at cyclist Mathieu van der Poel

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A man who threw a bottle of water at Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel at the Paris-Roubaix race has turned himself in to Belgian police.

The Dutchman was leading with roughly 37km to go, when he was struck.

He went on to win the race for a record-equalling third time in a row and later described it as like "getting hit by a stone".

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"The bottle was nearly full and weighed half a kilo and when someone throws it like that it's not nothing."

"Something should be done about it," he added. "People spitting and throwing things, it's too much and I'm going to ask for action to be taken."

Mathieu van der Poel. Getty

Public prosecutor Filiep Jodts told BBC Sport: "We can confirm that the man presented himself to the police.

"An official report was drawn up, in which his statement was recorded. The Public Prosecution Service will decide in the coming days what action should be taken."

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The gruelling race is one of the five "monuments" in one-day cycling along with Liège–Bastogne–Liège, the Tour of Lombardy, Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders.

Van der Poel, who raised his bike in the air in celebration, has won eight monuments.

"It means a lot. It's such a hard race, I was suffering. I just had to go for it," Van der Poel said. "I'm just happy I found my good legs again."

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