A 42-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with causing serious injury and attempted manslaughter for grabbing a cyclist who was racing through the dune area near Monster, south of The Hague.

The cyclist, former legal protection minister Sander Dekker, was seriously injured on Tuesday evening when the woman grabbed his arm, causing him to fall heavily, the Telegraaf quoted eyewitnesses as saying.

Dekker, who was cycling at high speed, is said to have several broken ribs, a broken pelvis and collar bone.

Dekker has been involved in cycling accidents before, the paper said. In 2015, he broke his hip in Spain and in 2013 he fell after a runaway dog crossed the bike path.