Dutch Cyclist Arrested Ahead Of Title Race Over Fight In Hotel: Report

Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel was arrested on the eve of Sunday's elite road race at the world championships after a late-night altercation with noisy neighbours, a report said.

Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel was arrested on the eve of Sunday's elite road race at the world championships after a late-night altercation with noisy neighbors, a report said.

The 27-year-old was among the candidates for the rainbow jersey and started at 266.9 kilometers (165.

4 miles) around the coastal town of Wollongong south of Sydney on Sunday, but retired in the early stages.

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Belgian radio station Sporza said she had spoken to him before the start and he told them: "That's right, yes."

“There was a small disagreement. It was about the noisy neighbors and they are very strict here.

I didn't get back to my room until four in the morning. This is definitely not ideal. It's a disaster, but I can't change anything anymore. I'm trying to get the most out of it."

New South Wales State Police have confirmed that there has been a dispute at a Sydney hotel and that a 27-year-old man is accused of ordinary assault.

But he did not mention the names of those involved.

"At around 10:30 pm (Saturday), a man was in a hotel... when he allegedly got involved in a verbal altercation with two teenage girls aged 13 and 14," police said in a statement to AFP.

It is further alleged that the man pushed both teenagers,

One fell to the floor and the other was pushed against the wall, causing a slight cut in her elbow.”

The hotel management called the police and "arrested a 27-year-old man shortly after."

"He was taken to Kojara Police Station (in Sydney) and charged with two counts of public assault."

The man was released on bail to appear in a Sydney district court on Tuesday.

BY
ProBuzzFeed