Portugal Colonial - Van der Poel E3 'spitter' facing fine

Alone in the lead with around 30 kilometres to go, Van der Poel was spat on by a spectator, beer in hand, in the Karnemelkbeekstraat in Ronse.

The incident was captured on television which enabled the police to identify the spitter who has "admitted the facts".

The person "will have to pay a fine of up to 350 euros ($400)", a police officer told AFP, adding that the case would not be taken any further.

Van der Poel, grandson of the former rider and French folk hero Raymond Poulidor, went on to win the race but has faced similar incidents.

"The people who do this would do better not to attend the races," he said at the time.

"Unfortunately, I can't change things but it's a shame it should happen again because it's already happened to me."

During Sunday's Paris-Roubaix, the leader of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team was hit in the face by a water bottle in the cobbled section of Templeuve, again when he was leading the race.

The perpetrator handed himself into the police with the Lille public prosecutor's office confirming on Monday that it had opened an investigation into "violence with a weapon".

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has also announced its intention to lodge a complaint.

J.V.Jacinto--PC