In a shocking incident during the prestigious Paris-Roubaix race, a spectator threw a water bottle at Mathieu van der Poel, striking him in the face. The Dutch cyclist, who was leading the race at the time, described the impact as being hit by a stone. The man responsible for the act surrendered himself to Belgian police the following day.

Van der Poel, who went on to win the race for a record-equalling third consecutive time, expressed his frustration over the increasing number of such incidents. "The bottle was nearly full and weighed half a kilo. When someone throws it like that, it's not nothing," he said after the race.

The incident has prompted calls for stricter measures to ensure the safety of cyclists. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has stated that it will explore all legal avenues to ensure such behavior is severely punished.

This event is not isolated in Van der Poel's career. He has faced multiple incidents involving spectators, including being spat at and having liquids thrown at him during races. "Something should be done about it," Van der Poel added. "People spitting and throwing things, it's too much and I'm going to ask for action to be taken."

The Paris-Roubaix race, known for its challenging cobbled sections, attracts around 500,000 spectators annually. This year's race covered 259.2 kilometers, with a significant portion on cobbled roads, testing the endurance and skill of the cyclists.