Person who spat on Van der Poel during race fined

The person who spat on cyclist Mathieu van der Poel during last month's E3 Saxo Bank Classic has been identified and fined, according to Belgian police.

Dutch rider Van der Poel, who won the race on 28 March, was spat on in the East Flanders city of Ronse while leading solo with about 30km remaining.

The East Flanders public prosecutor's office confirmed to BBC Sport a report from AFP that Ronse police had identified the culprit, who admitted spitting on Van der Poel.

Ronse police told AFP the individual will have to pay a fine of up to £300 (350 euros) but the case will not be taken any further.

In a separate incident, Alpecin-Deceuninck rider Van der Poel was struck by a water bottle while also in the lead alone at Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, before going on to win the race for a record-equalling third time in a row.

A man handed himself in to a West Flanders police station on Monday and the public prosecutor is deciding what action to take.

Van der Poel, 30, has been involved in several incidents involving spectators in recent years.

In December 2023, he spat at some spectators during a cyclocross race in the Netherlands, saying he had had enough of being booed and having liquid thrown at him.

The following April, he had beer thrown at him during the Tour of Flanders.