New video footage has clarified the controversial incident involving Mathieu van der Poel at Monday’s X2O Trofee Loenhout-Azencross, indicating that the contact between the world champion and a spectator was accidental.
The fan who briefly clipped Van der Poel’s handlebar during the race was questioned by police at the venue but has since been released without charge. He has publicly apologised, saying he feels “deeply guilty” about what happened and stressing that there was no malicious intent.
Speaking to Belgian broadcaster Sporza, the unnamed spectator explained that he had been enthusiastically cheering the leading riders as they passed the barriers when the contact occurred. He said he hopes to apologise directly to Van der Poel. “I really have nothing against him,” he said. “I love cyclocross, and this is the last thing I ever wanted to happen.”
Van der Poel, who reacted angrily in the heat of the moment, later played down the incident after securing a comfortable victory. The Dutch rider said he did not believe the fan acted deliberately, noting that spectators can sometimes get carried away in their enthusiasm and forget that riders are still approaching at speed.
Race organisers initially suggested disciplinary action could be considered, but their stance softened after footage from behind the barriers circulated online. The video more clearly shows the spectator focusing on cheering the leaders rather than attempting to interfere with the race.
Golazo managing director Christophe Impens described the episode as unfortunate but urged perspective. “There were 15,000 fans here who behaved perfectly,” he said. “This was an isolated accident. Hopefully we can put it behind us and resolve it amicably.”
The incident ultimately had no impact on the result. Van der Poel extended his extraordinary cyclocross dominance with a 17th straight victory, continuing a run that has seen him lose just once in nearly three years. Since late January 2023, he has amassed 31 wins from 32 starts, with his only defeat coming at the Benidorm World Cup earlier this year.
Van der Poel did admit there was a sense of disappointment surrounding the race, not because of the spectator incident, but due to rival Wout van Aert’s puncture, which ended hopes of another head-to-head duel between the two stars. Van Aert later suffered a second puncture and slipped out of podium contention entirely.
The rivals are set to face each other again at the Zilvermeercross on 2 January, followed by the World Cup round in Zonhoven on 4 January.
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