'How could I be so stupid?' – Remorseful spectator who threw bidon at Mathieu van der Poel apologises after Paris-Roubaix incident

The spectator who threw a bidon at Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and struck him in the face during his Paris-Roubaix solo victory has apologised to the Dutchman, telling his story of the incident for the first time.

His action was caught by TV cameras 33km from the finish in Roubaix, with Van der Poel flinching but staying on his bike, before describing it post-race as "like a stone hitting my face" and "attempted manslaughter."

The story of the incident has overshadowed a historic edition of Paris-Roubaix, with rival Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) expressing his solidarity with Van der Poel in pursuit of greater rider safety, and the Dutchman's team and the UCI seeking greater punishment for the spectator.

The man in question handed himself in to Belgian police the day after the race, and after sending a letter of apology to Van der Poel, has now spoke publicly for the first time to HLN, through his lawyer Peter Desmet, showing remorse for his action.

"Of course, I wanted to [apologise] first and foremost to Mathieu van der Poel himself. I am so happy that he crossed the finish line first on Sunday - despite my stupid action," he told Het Laatste Nieuws.

"But at the same time, I realize that I have to apologize to every rider or cycling enthusiast.

"Mathieu van der Poel was approaching and when he passed I made that stupid decision and threw that water bottle. Why did I do that? I’ve been asking myself that question ever since, but I don’t have an explanation for it myself. [It was an] extremely foolish impulse - I can’t explain it any other way."

When Alpecin-Decuninck issued a statement with the intent to file "an official complaint against the perpetrator to formally denounce this behaviour", they also spoke of "excessive alcohol consumption" playing a part in these incidents, which the spectator confirmed was true in this case.

"We arrived around 11 o’clock. We had a drink in the tent nearby. Waiting for the riders to pass on the section where we were standing. And yes, I have to admit that I had a bit too much to drink," he said.

"In the grass field between the tent and the cobblestone strip, I saw that yellow bidon. Perhaps one of the juniors had thrown it away that morning. Without thinking much about it, I picked it up.

"I felt so bad when I hit him. Within half a second I already regretted throwing it. I have been really ashamed for days. On the one hand I was very happy that he didn’t fall. But why did I do that? How could I be so stupid? What would happen to me now?"

This is far from the first time Van der Poel has been targeted by spectators, with beer and urine being thrown on him in the cyclocross field and on the road in recent years. A cap was also thrown at him during last year's Roubaix, and most recently,y before last Sunday, a spectator spat at him during the E3 Saxo Classic.

That man was identified by police in Belgium yesterday and will face a fine of up to €350. It is unknown yet how the incident with the 'bidon-thrower' will be resolved; however, he hopes it is over soon after the intense interest it has sparked in the media.

"That one stupid second has caused me to end up in an incredible media storm. It seems like everyone is talking about me now. I know I was wrong and I will take responsibility, but I hope the dust can settle soon," said the spectator, with his lawyer also commenting on how things could move forward.

"My client will take legal responsibility," said lawyer Peter Desmet to HLN. "Of course, we would prefer to settle this between ourselves, but he also understands that it is a matter of principle. 

"The incident happened in France, of course ,and the two people involved - himself and the rider - live in Belgium. So that will not be obvious. But we will accept whatever consequences there are."

After the UCI made a statement on Monday expressing how it would "explore, in conjunction with the competent authorities, all the legal channels at their disposal so that such behaviour is duly and severely punished", its president, David Lappartient, also repeated on Tuesday that was the course cycling's government body would take.

"We intend to take action," Lappartient, speaking in Sallanches at the unveiling of the road race course for the 2027 World Championships, told to La Dernière Heure.

"We will consult with the riders' union, the organizers and the teams, but what happened is not trivial. Urine and a cap had already been thrown at Van der Poel. And now, throwing a full bottle in your face at 50 kph is like having a stone thrown in your face. It hurts. This is on a public highway, and we must protect our athletes."