Mathieu van der Poel to race gravel Worlds in first race since Australia incident

Dutchman joins other road stars Peter Sagan and Greg van Avermaet in Italy

Mathieu van der Poel
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Mathieu van der Poel is set to ride the first UCI Gravel World Championships this weekend, his first race since pulling out of the road World Championships last month.

The Dutchman was pegged as a favourite for the road race in Wollongong, Australia, but was arrested after 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; he was later fined $1,500AU (£910) and given permission to return to Europe.

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