New pictures of Paris-Roubaix Van der Poel cap-throwing incident elevate recent questions

The publication of latest pictures of the spectator who threw a cap at Mathieu van der Poel because the world champion rode in direction of victory in Paris-Roubaix has revived hypothesis that her motion could have been intentional – one thing the spectator in query has categorically denied.

The cap-throwing incident on the Mérignies sector of pavé sparked uproar when preliminary footage of the spectator’s motion emerged, given the evident attainable dangers concerned, though Van der Poel was unaffected.

In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws final week, the lawyer representing the spectator accountable stated she denied it was in any approach a malicious motion and that she was a Van der Poel fan.

However, one other video obtained and revealed by Het Laatste Nieuws, showing the same incident from a different angle, has raised recent questions.

The spectator stated by way of her lawyer final week that it was not carried out on function.

“It was clearly by no means my shopper’s intention to hurt the rider in query. Let alone that she wished to carry him down. No right-thinking individual would do one thing like that, proper?,” the lawyer advised Het Laatste Nieuws.

The incident was reported to the French police by the UNCP, the French riders union, which lodged the criticism in regards to the incident on behalf of the CPA [International Riders Association]. 

The spectator’s lawyer stated she had been in contact with the commerce union to debate the incident, however was not prepared to undergo the media.

The cap toss was not an remoted incident at Paris-Roubaix. Later within the race, Van der Poel was reportedly doused in beer, as he had been on the Oude Kwaremont throughout his Tour of Flanders victory the earlier week.