Firm action deemed necessary after bidon incident, but Van Vliet Is pessimistic: "If anyone has the solution, call me"

The so-called 'fan' reported himself to the police, but what will Mathieu van der Poel and Alpecin-Deceuninck gain from that? Once again, the Dutch leader was the target of violence during the race. After being spat at, sworn at, and having beer and urine thrown at him in cyclo-cross and Flemish races, he was hit again in Paris-Roubaix for the second year in a row. After having a cap thrown at him in last year's race, Van der Poel got a full bidon in his face on Sunday. The reactions are understandably harsh.

As on all previous occasions, cycling fans, journalists, fellow cyclists, and cycling teams condemn the action. In the HLN podcast Wuyts & Vlaeminck, Michel Wuyts said: "It breaks my heart because it threatens the beauty of the race. I would like to see a hefty punishment, a substantial fine. However, as I say it, I realize that that is even too mild."

Journalist Thijs Zonneveld agreed, even during the race. "Identify, arrest, and prosecute. The only solution to keep this kind of stupidity out of the race," he wrote on X. Sending a strong message to discourage morons must be adequate. Otherwise, Wuyts sees no other option: "Will we soon see a Paris-Roubaix race where the public is banned from the cobblestone sections? Is that where we should be heading? I hope not, but people like that threaten to take us there. That would be a sad state of affairs."

Read more below the photo.

Expert sports law thinks only severe punishments will ensure van der Poel's safety

But the big question is: how can we guarantee Van der Poel's safety when this keeps happening to him? 'He's being targeted. That is a shame because he is a great champion', former professional Greg Van Avermaet agrees. "Someone who treats his opponents with respect. You can't generalize - many of them are good - but this can't continue."

Wuyts always felt 'an impressive politeness' in interviews with van der Poel in his time as a cycling journalist and commentator. "Always in a good mood, always polite, well-mannered... So why? Make the effort to get to know someone like that better. Then there is a greater chance that you will keep your mouth shut." Sports lawyer Mathieu Baert, therefore, told HLN: "It does not seem unrealistic to me that a fine and a suspended prison sentence of between six months and two years will follow. An effective prison sentence seems highly unlikely to me. Although they are usually quite strict in public affairs in France."

"Attempted manslaughter," as van der Poel himself described it in the heat of the moment, will not stand up in court, according to Baert. "Because then there would have to be intent to kill, and that was not the case. Then, he would have used something other than a bidon. You also have to be able to prove that, you know. Of course, they are deliberate assaults and injuries," says the Belgian, who hopes the punishment will be severe. "As a warning. So that the next person knows how these kinds of cases will be dealt with, that feeling must be instilled in all supporters."

Read more below the photo.  

Last year, someone tried to throw a cap into the spokes of van der Poel's wheel during Paris-Roubaix

Van Vliet is pessimistic: "If anyone has the solution, call me"

The discussion about misconduct in cycling has gotten off to a good start. Leo van Vliet also watched the incident with regret. "It's beyond sad," the Amstel Gold Race race director told NOS. "And then some idiot does it to Van der Poel, a particularly respectful rider. How are you going to solve that as an organization? I don't see how..."

Because the nature of cycling means that it is impossible to control spectators. "There are thousands of people along the roadside; it's hard to ask them all to put away their bidons. Last year, it was about caps; another time, people were spitting again... There's nothing you can do about it. Cycling is also a popular sport. It takes place on public roads. That's also what makes it such a beautiful sport, that you can get so close. That spectators take advantage of that..."

Alpecin-Deceuninck also concluded that excessive alcohol consumption is a major factor in the misconduct of 'fans.' But Van Vliet does not see this as a possible solution. "We live in a free world. It's not that we are laconic, but we can do nothing about it. If anyone knows a solution, they are welcome to share it. Just give us a call."

Read also

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

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

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