Cycling superstar Mathieu van der Poel was reportedly arrested overnight in Sydney for confronting a group of teenagers who repeatedly knocked on his hotel door.
The 27-year-old Dutch cyclist was reportedly charged with two counts of common assault over the incident – and remarkably, he subsequently resigned from the men’s road race at the world championships less than an hour into the race.
The puncheur is a multiple cyclo-cross world champion and has also won a stage on the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, and was widely viewed as one of the favourites for the 266.9km world championship road race in Wollongong.
But his trip to Australia unravelled after a confrontation with a pair of teenagers at the Grand Parade Brighton-Le-Sands in Sydney.
“It’s true, yes,” Van der Poel said, per Sporza. “There was a small dispute. It was about noisy neighbours and they are quite strict here.”
“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.”
“I went to bed early and many children in the hallway of my room found it necessary to knock on the door continuously,” Van der Poel added. “After a few times I was done with it. I didn’t ask so nicely to stop. Then the police were called and I was taken.”
A statement from the New South Wales Police said: “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.
“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. 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.”
Van der Poel denied he pushed the children.
