Mathieu van der Poel fined £900 for assaulting teenagers at team hotel

Mathieu van der Poel has been fined $1,500AU (£910) and given permission to return to Europe, following his arrest on Sunday morning. 

The 27-year-old was taken to Kogarah Police Station the night before the World Championships men’s elite road race, after he was involved in an altercation with two teenage girls, who had been knocking on his hotel room door. He was charged with two counts of common assault and granted conditional bail. 

Van der Poel’s court appearance was initially scheduled to take place on Tuesday, but was brought forward at the request of his lawyer to allow for his flight home today. 

As a result of the incident, Dutch publication NOS reports, Van der Poel has been fined $1,000 for pushing one of the girls and $500 for physically confronting the other. He has also regained his passport, which was confiscated when he was arrested. 

The Dutchman’s lawyer Michael Bowe said: “His partner was in tears and he himself was very disappointed with the result.

“He told me that he feels like he has disappointed his country and his team.”

Bowe added that the cyclist, who chose not to comment on the legal proceedings, plans to appeal against the ruling. 

On Saturday evening, a statement from New South Wales police revealed that a 27-year-old man, later revealed to be Van der Poel, had been arrested at a hotel in Sydney. “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,” the statement said. 

Speaking after the incident, Van der Poel told Belgian outlet Sporza that he didn’t return from the police station until 4am, six hours before the road race was due to start.

“It’s a disaster, but I can’t change anything anymore. I’m trying to make the best of it.”

The 27-year-old added: “I went to bed early and many children in the hallway of my room found it necessary to knock on the door. After a few times I was done with it. I did not kindly ask to stop. Then the police were called.”

Despite the arrest, Van der Poel took the start line in the road race, but withdrew after just 30 kilometres of racing.