Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel was arrested and then released on bail.

The 27-year-old ended up in handcuffs   on the eve of the elite road race at the ongoing world championships in Australia, after a nightly altercation with noisy neighbors in a Sydney hotel. The police reported it.

He was among the favorites for the rainbow jersey and started the 266.9km slog around the coastal town of Wollongong, south of Sydney, but retired after just 30km.

"It's true, yes - confirmed to the Belgian broadcaster Sporza - There was a little dispute with noisy neighbors and here they are quite strict. I wanted to go to bed early last night, but there were many kids in the corridor of the hotels that kept knocking on my door. After a while I got tired and told them, in a not very understanding way, to stop. "

The New South Wales police reported an assault on two girls aged 13 and 14: "He pushed both teenagers, one fell to the ground and the other was pushed against a wall causing a slight abrasion to the elbow" .

The police were called by the hotel management and "arrested a 27-year-old man shortly thereafter, taken to the Kogarah police station (in Sydney) and charged with common assault".

Van der Poel obtained several victories at the Dwars Door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders, a third place in the Milan-Sanremo, fourth in the Amstel Gold Race and ninth in the Paris-Roubaix.

He's due to appear in court next Tuesday.

(Unioneonline / D)

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