Dutch cycling star Mathieu van der Poel, one of the major favourites for the UCI World Road Championships in Wollongong, will face court next week after being arrested for a race-eve incident at the team hotel in Sydney.
Van der Poel, who started the 267km race on Sunday morning but withdrew less than an hour into the race, was taken to Kogarah police station on Saturday night after allegedly pushing two teenage girls who he claimed were knocking on his door at the Dutch team hotel at Brighton-le-Sands.
The 27-year-old told the Sporza website he became annoyed and confronted the girls. Van der Poel allegedly pushed them and hotel staff called the police. He was taken to Kogarah police station and charged with two counts of common assault, and didn’t return to his room until 4am.
“It’s true, yes. There was a small dispute. It was about noisy neighbours and they are quite strict here,” Van der Poel told Sporza.
“I went to bed early and many children in the hallway of my room found it necessary to knock on the door. After a few times I was done with it. I did not kindly ask to stop. Then the police were called.
“I wasn’t back in my room until 4 o’clock. That’s certainly not ideal. It’s a disaster, but I can’t change anything anymore. I’m trying to make the best of it. It is on little sleep that I will race, hopefully on adrenaline.”
Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel withdrew from the UCI World Road Championships after being arrested overnight.Credit:AP
Van der Poel began the road race at the starting line in Helensburgh, but abandoned the race after the peloton arrived in Wollongong.
In a statement, NSW Police said a 27-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of common assault.
“About 10.40pm (Saturday 24 September 2022), a man was at a hotel on The Grand Parade, Brighton-le-Sands, when he was allegedly involved in a verbal altercation with two teenage girls – aged 13 and 14,” A police spokesperson said.
“It’s further alleged the man then pushed both teenagers, with one falling to the ground and the other being pushed into a wall causing a minor graze to her elbow.
Mathieu van der Poel is a stage winner of the Tour de France.Credit:AP
“Hotel management were notified of the incident who then called police. Officers from St George Police Area Command attended and arrested a 27-year-old man shortly after.
“He was taken to Kogarah Police Station and charged with two counts of common assault. He was granted conditional bail to appear at Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday 27 September 2022.”
A stage winner on both the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, van der Poel was among the favourites to win the elite men’s road race at the UCI World Road Championships.
Dutch teammate Annemiek van Vleuten won the women’s road race on Saturday after breaking her elbow three days earlier.
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