Terneuzen will be the starting place of the Scheldeprijs for the sixth time on Wednesday. The oldest Flemish spring classic is known as the ‘World Championship for sprinters’. This is what you need to know about the 112th edition.
How did the bond with Terneuzen come about?
At the end of 2017 it was announced that the Scheldeprijs would have a new departure location in 2018. After 104 (!) starts in Antwerp and one in Mol – as a tribute to the Belgian cyclist Tom Boonen – organizer Flanders Classics found a place on the other side of the border. Belgium is already so full of cycling races in April and the competition in Belgium alone was considered too boring. The move to Terneuzen therefore provided the southern neighbors with some breathing space and a course that could offer more spectacle. The provincial government wanted to help; Cycling has been one of the core sports in Zeeland for quite some time.
The contract with Terneuzen has already been extended several times. The race will also start in the Zeeland-Flemish city in 2025 and 2026. It is not inconceivable that the parties will continue to work together afterwards.
The attractiveness of a race depends on the field of participants. Who’s coming?
With no fewer than eleven World Tour teams, the Scheldeprijs is doing extremely well. For comparison: the ZLM Tour, which will also be partly held in Zeeland in June, will have five at the start.
With former winner Jasper Philipsen, a big name is already leaving. He recently won Milan-San Remo and was added to the list of participants at the last minute. Add to this that Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick Step), Sam Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe), Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco), Cees Bol (Astana) and Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor) are also lined up in Terneuzen and you understand why this is the case. is called the ‘World Championship for sprinters’.
Two top names are missing. Fabio Jakobsen, who showed everyone his heels in 2018 and 2019, is left at home by DSM-firmenich. And Olav Kooij, the revelation from Visma-Lease a Bike, is not there either. In fact, Visma-Lease a Bike has not even registered for the Scheldeprijs at all.
After the start at Stadhuisplein (1 p.m.) the peloton will drive via the lock complex to the Western Scheldt tunnel. Only after 7.2 kilometers is the official starting signal given and the riders start the official part of no less than 205.3 kilometers.
The peloton travels through the municipalities of Borssele, Kapelle and Reimerswaal, more or less along the A58. After 60 kilometers and less than an hour and a half of racing, the caravan leaves Zeeland. The finish will be in Schoten around 5:15 p.m., after a few more local laps have been completed there.
As a cycling fan, can you come and have a look in Terneuzen?
Absolute. The team buses will arrive at Stadhuisplein from 10:30 am. Fans of the sport can then see, from relatively close up, how the drivers prepare for departure. Sometimes there is also room for a chat, a photo or an autograph. The team presentation will take place on the Market from 11.30 am.
You can also stand along the course. The finish can be followed on television. Eurosport and Sporza broadcast from 3 p.m. At most, some short images of the stretch through Zeeland are shown.
The riders zoom through Zeeland. Before you know it, they’re gone again. Does anything ever happen in those first 50 kilometers?
To be fair: in races where it always ends up in a sprint, there is usually not much going on in the long run-up. But the stretch in Zeeland is still treacherous. If there is a lot of wind, you can end up in the wrong fan and have to waste a lot of effort to get back. In 2018, when Terneuzen was the starting point for the first time, there was a lot of fuss. At Krabbendijke the railway barriers closed when the peloton arrived. 35 participants quickly ducked under and continued their way, while the rest stopped. The jury was then unrelenting and disqualified them all. Arnaud Démare and Dylan Groenewegen, among others, were among them. Fabio Jakobsen, who had adhered to the rules, ultimately benefited from the lack of many competitors in Schoten.
Isn’t the Scheldeprijs also for women? What about that?
As old as the race is for men – older than the Tour of Flanders – it is just as young for women. The first edition was not until 2021. Lorena Wiebes won then, just like in 2022 and 2023. All three competitions were held entirely in Belgium. Wednesday will be no different.
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Tags: Winner MilanSan Remo Terneuzen Wednesday Scheldeprijs Sports Zeeland
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