Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel has admitted to assaulting two teenage girls who reportedly knocked on his door as a prank over the weekend.
The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to assaulting two teenage girls, aged 13 and 14, at the Grand Parade hotel in Sydney’s Brighton-Le-Sands on Saturday, September 24.
Police alleged in a statement van der Poel became involved in a verbal altercation with the girls after they knocked on his door at around 10:30 p.m.
It is alleged he then pushed both of the girls, causing one to fall to the ground and the other to sustain a minor graze on her elbow from scraping against a wall.
Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel (c.) competes in the men’s road race cycling event at the UCI 2022 Road World Championship in Wollongong on September 25, 2022AFP via Getty ImagesHotel management was notified of the incident and called police, who arrested van der Poel.
In the wake of the incident, van der Poel sensationally withdrew from a World Championship road race being held in Wollongong, just one hour into the event, despite being widely considered the favorite to win.
Despite being due to appear in court on Tuesday, van der Poel chose to enter guilty pleas on Monday before Magistrate Hugh Donnelly in Sutherland Local Court.
He was ordered to pay $1,500 in fines.
As a result of his criminal conviction, the cyclist now faces a three-year ban on re-entering Australia.
Mathieu Van der Poel during the team presentation of the ‘Alpecin-Deceuninck’ cyclocross team, at the Deceuninck headquarters in Hooglede, on Thursday, September 15, 2022.ShutterstockAccording to the Department of Home Affairs, anyone convicted of an offense against a law of the Commonwealth, or a law of an Australian state or territory, or anyone considered to be a risk to the health, safety or good order of the Australian community, faces an exclusion period of up to three years.
“I went to bed early and many children in the hallway of my room found it necessary to knock on the door continuously,” van der poel told Belgian website Sporza.
“After a few times, I was done with it. I didn‘t ask so nicely to stop. Then the police were called and I was taken.
“I wasn‘t back in my room until 4 o’clock. That’s certainly not ideal. It’s a disaster, but I can’t change anything anymore.”
Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands rides across the Sea Cliff Bridge during the elite men's road race at the world road cycling championships in Wollongong, Australia, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022 
Mathieu van der Poel (3rd R) and Pascal Eenkhoorn (2nd R) compete in the men's road race cycling event at the UCI 2022 Road World Championship in Wollongong on September 25, 2022. 
Mathieu Van Der Poel smiles during the team presentation of the 'Alpecin-Deceuninck' cyclocross team, at the Deceuninck headquarters in Hooglede, on September 15, 2022. Team Alpecin-Deceuninck boss Christoph Roodhooft told reporters van der poel was mentally shattered following the ordeal.
“He didn‘t sleep all night and was mentally a bit broken as well,” Roodhooft told reporters.
“He was expecting a lot of this day (race) and did all he could in the last two months after his bad Tour de France. He had found joy and happiness again in cycling and was hoping to have a nice race today.”
