Dutch cycling star Mathieu van der Poel will attempt to overturn a conviction for assaulting two teenage girls in a Sydney hotel the night before the men’s world championship road race.
The Tour de France stage winner was arrested hours before Sunday’s race in Wollongong where the 27-year-old was one of the favourites.
repeatedly knocked on his hotel door on Saturday night and ran away.
He [Van der Poel] admits he dealt with it inappropriately but still there’s an explanation,” criminal lawyer Michael Bowe said.
“The damage he suffered was enormous. He feels like he’s let his whole country down and his whole team.”
With the court matter over and his bail conditions no longer in effect, Van der Poel was able to retrieve his passport and fly out of the country on Monday evening.
However, Bowe will lodge a sentence appeal on Tuesday morning in the district court, seeking to set aside the convictions.
After the two-time Tour of Flanders champion pleaded guilty on Monday, Sutherland local court magistrate Hugh Donnelly convicted him and ordered he pay fines of A$1,000 and A$500 for the two common assaults.
The grandson of famed French cyclist Raymond Poulidor was to lead the Dutch team in Sunday’s 266.9km race but withdrew within the first 30km. Bauke Mollema finished best placed for the Netherlands in 25th.
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