Man who spat on Van der Poel identified, Iserbyt is angry about the Koppenberg incident: "When push comes to shove…"

In the wake of "bidongate" at Paris-Roubaix, the issue of misbehavior by cycling fans is more relevant than ever. Earlier this spring, Mathieu van der Poel was already spat at by a so-called "fan" during the E3 Saxo Classic and that person has now been identified. Meanwhile, Eli Iserbyt vents his frustration about the lack of serious punishment for the man who threw beer at him during the Koppenbergcross.

Unfortunately, the issue reared its head again last Sunday, in a more extreme form, when a bidon was thrown in Van der Poel’s face. “I hope they identify him and press charges, because I got hit with a bidon at 50 kilometers an hour. That’s enough to break a jaw, so we can’t let this slide. It was a full bidon, and it really hurt. He could’ve broken my nose, this is simply attempted manslaughter. If the UCI doesn’t prosecute, our team will,” said Van der Poel.

Van der Poel was spat on by a fan on March 28 during his solo ride toward Harelbeke, prompting the Ronse Police to launch an immediate investigation. “Such behavior is unacceptable. The Ronse Police department will begin an investigation. We want to send a clear signal that we absolutely do not tolerate these kinds of actions. We call on fans to express their love for cycling in a respectful and sporting manner during the upcoming races.”

The man has now been identified. “There has been contact between the perpetrator and the Alpecin-Deceuninck team, and the individual has admitted everything,” stated the Ronse Police. The man has been issued a GAS fine, which can amount to a maximum of 350 euros.

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Angry Iserbyt: "When push comes to shove"

Eli Iserbyt also acknowledged the relevance of the issue. On November 1, during the Koppenbergcross, the Belgian was doused with beer by a spectator at the side of the course. “It really threw me off for about two laps. It hit me straight in the face. It took some time to refocus, but that’s hard to do during a race like that. There’s a huge crowd here, so if it’s just one person… it still shouldn’t happen. I’ll admit it didn’t have a major impact on the result, but it did shake me for a moment,” he said at the time.

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“You lose focus for a while, and the next lap you’re wondering: are they still there? Is it going to happen again? I was a bit surprised, because you just don’t expect something like that. Yelling is fine, but this was physical, that’s crossing the line. In the end, you have to keep going; you can’t stop and sulk in a corner.” An investigation was launched into the man involved, and Iserbyt has now been informed of the outcome.

The Belgian shared the result on social media and expressed his frustration. “Lots of promises in the press, but when push comes to shove…” The letter states that the suspect received a warning and will not be prosecuted. If he offends again, the investigation will be reopened.

Read also

🎥 Perpetrator in van der Poel's 'attempted manslaughter' case first denies, then expresses 'deep regret and shame'

Pogacar disappoints Strava fans after "one of the highest power outputs I’ve ever seen" and enjoys Roubaix shower after crash

Dead last in Roubaix! Joseph Pidcock finishes nearly an hour behind van der Poel in Roubaix: "Not risking my life for this"

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