Van der Poel spat at and doused with beer, Tour of Flanders wants to punish | Cycling

Several spectators at the Oude Kwaremont threw beer at Van der Poel. At the finish, a bystander spat at the world champion. The 29-year-old rider was also regularly confronted with boos during the race.

Flanders Classic director Tomas Van den Spiegel wants the perpetrators to be punished. He refers to an incident during Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in February, when winner Marianne Vos had cups of beer thrown over her.

“We also did that in the Omloop,” says Van den Spiegel The last news. “Beer was thrown at Vos on the Muur van Geraardsbergen. The beer throwers there were identified.” The racing organization went to court and received financial compensation.

Chief of Police Joost Duhamel of the Flemish Ardennes confirms that the police are working on the case. “We have not established this ourselves, but it can be seen on images of the match. Based on this, an official report will be drawn up and the suspects can be identified.”

The leader of Alpecin-Deceuninck responded light-heartedly to the incidents afterwards. “There were some downpours on the Oude Kwaremont,” he said with a wink. “But I was so focused that it didn’t really matter to me.”

Van der Poel also had beer and urine poured over him during a cyclo-cross in Hulst in December. He then reacted by spitting at the spectator. “I can’t let everything happen,” he responded. “Doing nothing won’t solve it either. It was a human reaction. You shouldn’t let such things pass by.”