An elite cyclist has had his convictions overturned in the District Court of New South Wales after initially pleading guilty in the Local Court to assaulting two teenage girls following a ‘knock and run' prank.
27-year old Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel was staying at the Novotel Hotel on Brighton Beach on the evening of 24 September 2022 ahead of the next morning's Wollongong world championship road race when the girls, aged 13 and 14, repeatedly knocked on his door before running away.
On the final occasion, Mr van der Poel opened his door and chased the girls into their room where he pushed one of them against a wall and squeezed the other's arm.
Police were called and arrived at the hotel shortly before 11pm on the night.
