Mathieu van der Poel, one of the favorites for the World Cycling Championship in Wollongong (Australia), will have to answer to the police for the attack on two minors who were making noise in the hotel where the rider was resting before the competition.

The Dutchman, who was detained by police on Saturday night before being released on Sunday morning, started the road race at the World Cycling Championships in Wollongong where he was one of the favourites.

However, he left the race after only 30 kilometers, exhausted and “mentally destroyed”, the race was won by Belgian Remko Evenepole.

The multiple world cyclocross champion was “up all night” after the incident at a hotel in Brighton-le-Sands, near Sydney, on Saturday night, according to Christoph Rudhoft, manager of his Alpecin-Fenix ​​team.

“Mathieu went to bed at 9pm and it was still noisy at midnight. Children were playing in the corridor and knocking on the door. He came out to tell them to stop, but obviously in the wrong way.

The athlete returned to his room at four in the morning, but did not have time to close an eye

He is very disappointed, he is mentally destroyed. He had a lot of ambition for this race.” – Christoph Rudhoftreports News.ro.

Serious charges against cyclist Mathieu van der Poel – He attacked two minors

Without identifying Van der Poel, New South Wales Police confirmed the 27-year-old had been charged with two counts of assault on two teenage girls, aged 13 and 14.

“Around 10.40pm on Saturday, a man became involved in a verbal altercation with two teenage girls aged 13 and 14 at a hotel in Brighton-le-Sands.

According to the alleged facts, he pushed two teenage girls, causing one to fall to the ground and the other to hit a wall, leaving her with a small scratch on her elbow.

The hotel management was informed and the police were then called and shortly afterwards the 27-year-old man was arrested before being taken to Kogara police station where he was charged with two counts of assault.’ – Australian police statement.

As cyclist Mathieu van der Poel tried to explain the incident

At the start of the race, Mathieu van der Poel did not deny the incident.

“Yes, it’s true, it was a small fight. I wanted to go to bed early last night, but there were a bunch of kids in the hotel lobby who kept banging on my door.

After a while I got tired of it. I told them, not really understanding, to stop. Then they called the police and took me to the police station.

“It’s certainly not ideal, it’s a disaster, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I will do everything that depends on me” – Mathieu van der Poel before starting

The athlete gave up only after thirty kilometers, got into a white SUV without saying a word.

Van der Poel, who has been released on bail, is due to appear in court in Sutherland on Tuesday