Kristoff wins yet again in Scheldeprijs

Scheldeprijs followed the recent form guide of the spring Classics, with Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) winning the sprint finish ahead of Edward Theuns (Topsport) and Yauheni Hutarovich (Bretagne-Séché Environnement). 

The race was marred by a huge crash inside the final two kilometres with the majority of the field caught up or blocked by the carnage. However, that was inconsequential to Kristoff who opened a commanding sprint inside the final 150 meters to follow up on his Tour of Flanders success.

Kristoff and his Katusha team have been unbeatable in recent weeks, with Luca Paolini claiming Gent-Wevelgem and Kristoff a winner in the Three Days of De Panne before his Ronde triumph.

“It's unbelievable how the team is going. They worked really hard for me again today to pull it back for the sprint,” he told Sporza at the finish.

His win in Scheldeprijs had an air of inevitability about it. With Mark Cavendish, Andre Griepel, and Marcel Kittel all missing from the start list, Kristoff started as the favourite but there would have been little any of the notable absentees could have done against a rider in such form.

Even when his team faltered and left him isolated in the final two kilometres, the Norwegian had the confidence - there’s almost a swagger to his riding now – to position himself at the back of FDJ’s train before dipping his shoulder and coming through for the win.

“We came maybe a little too far with 1 to 2km to go. Then they did a good job to bring me to the front. In the last 500 meters, I was in perfect position and I could start when I want. I felt quite tired, because we had to use a lot of energy to get into position the last two kilometres. I was not really sure, but at the end I saw I had nobody to come past. It's a great feeling.”

The late crash that saw a number of the field crash had reduced the lead group to less than twenty riders with the vast majority of the peloton held up and forced to wait.

How it unfolded

Sandwiched between the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix they say that Scheldeprijs offers the sprinters a chance of success on the cobbles – a reward for the hardships they have been put through over the climbs of northern Belgium.

However the three fastest men of their generation, in Cavendish, Kittel and Griepel were absent when the race left Antwerp under blue skies. Their loss was a gain for their rivals with Peter Sagan hunting for his second win of the season and the unstoppable Kristoff looking to maintain his purple patch of form.

Little wonder then when both Tinkoff Saxo and Katusha set about dismantling the advantage set by the early break after an hour of racing.

Laurens De Vreese (Astana), Frederik Backaert (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis), Matteo Busato (Southeast), Vincent Jérôme (Europcar), Huub Duyn (Roompot), and Tanner Putt (UnitedHealthcare) had escaped just before the thirty kilometre point and established a lead of over four minutes by the time Kristoff’s and Sagan’s cavalry arrived.

The response was effective but slow releasing, the gap decreasing before it lay at just a minute with 20 kilometres remaining. At this point a number of other squads had sprung into action with Astana, Etixx-QuickStep and Team Sky showing noticeable intent at the head of the peloton.

De Vreese and Duyn fired off one last do-or-die attack with four kilometres remaining the advantage had been wiped out and the peloton looked set for a bunch sprint.

That all changed with just over a kilometre remaining when the battle for position proved too much with a touch of wheels leading to a major crash near the front of the field. The well positioned and the lucky made it through but Kristoff needs little help these days.

Next up for Kristoff and Katusha is Paris-Roubaix – a race where the Norwegian has struggled in the past.

“I hope I can keep this winning streak going, but Roubaix is a different race. I've struggled there before. I don't think I’m the biggest favourite, because I've never performed too well there, but I will try.”

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha4:30:10
2Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 1 - Cell 2
3Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 2 - Cell 2
4Marc Sarreau (Fra) FDJ.frRow 3 - Cell 2
5Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory RacingRow 4 - Cell 2
6Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 5 - Cell 2
7Nicolas Marini (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 6 - Cell 2
8Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 7 - Cell 2
9Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN - QhubekaRow 8 - Cell 2
10Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 9 - Cell 2
11Boris Vallee (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 10 - Cell 2
12Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Southeast Pro CyclingRow 11 - Cell 2
13Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team SkyRow 12 - Cell 2
14John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 13 - Cell 2
15Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr0:00:08
16Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:00:11
17Mark Renshaw (Aus) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 16 - Cell 2
18Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ.fr0:00:17
19Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha0:00:24
20Kristoffer Skjerping (Nor) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Tom De Vriendt (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 20 - Cell 2
22Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 21 - Cell 2
23Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 22 - Cell 2
24Jef Van Meirhaeghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 23 - Cell 2
25Barry Markus (Ned) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 24 - Cell 2
26Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory RacingRow 25 - Cell 2
27Ralf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 26 - Cell 2
28Joel Zangerle (Lux) Cult Energy Pro Cycling0:00:31
29André Looij (Ned) Team Roompot0:00:38
30Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 29 - Cell 2
31Theo Bos (Ned) MTN - Qhubeka0:00:42
32Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 31 - Cell 2
33Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 32 - Cell 2
34David Boucher (Fra) FDJ.frRow 33 - Cell 2
35Alessandro Malaguti (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 34 - Cell 2
36Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ.frRow 35 - Cell 2
37Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 36 - Cell 2
38Christophe Laborie (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 37 - Cell 2
39Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha0:00:47
40Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Bora-Argon 18Row 39 - Cell 2
41Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team0:00:53
42Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin0:00:56
43Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek Factory RacingRow 42 - Cell 2
44Wesley Kreder (Ned) Team RoompotRow 43 - Cell 2
45Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step0:01:03
46Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:01:06
47Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto SoudalRow 46 - Cell 2
48Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:09
49Martin Mortensen (Den) Cult Energy Pro Cycling0:01:16
50Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 49 - Cell 2
51Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
52Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 51 - Cell 2
53Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 52 - Cell 2
54Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 53 - Cell 2
55Jesper Asselman (Ned) Team RoompotRow 54 - Cell 2
56Karel Hnik (Cze) Cult Energy Pro CyclingRow 55 - Cell 2
57Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 56 - Cell 2
58Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:01:23
59Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 58 - Cell 2
60Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek Factory RacingRow 59 - Cell 2
61Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto SoudalRow 60 - Cell 2
62Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 61 - Cell 2
63Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 62 - Cell 2
64Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.frRow 63 - Cell 2
65Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 64 - Cell 2
66Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) MTN - Qhubeka0:01:29
67Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN - QhubekaRow 66 - Cell 2
68Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo0:01:32
69Riccardo Stacchiotti (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 68 - Cell 2
70Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 69 - Cell 2
71Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 70 - Cell 2
72Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 71 - Cell 2
73Hayden Roulston (NZl) Trek Factory RacingRow 72 - Cell 2
74Antonio Viola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:01:43
75Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team SkyRow 74 - Cell 2
76Alexander Porsev (Rus) Team Katusha0:01:46
77Luca Paolini (Ita) Team KatushaRow 76 - Cell 2
78Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin0:01:49
79Johan Van Summeren (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 78 - Cell 2
80Tim Kerkhof (Ned) Team RoompotRow 79 - Cell 2
81Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Team RoompotRow 80 - Cell 2
82Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 81 - Cell 2
83Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 82 - Cell 2
84James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 83 - Cell 2
85Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ.frRow 84 - Cell 2
86Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Southeast Pro CyclingRow 85 - Cell 2
87Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 86 - Cell 2
88Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 87 - Cell 2
89Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:01:59
90Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli0:02:05
91Fabio Taborre (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 90 - Cell 2
92Frédéric Brun (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 91 - Cell 2
93Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 92 - Cell 2
94Julien Morice (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 93 - Cell 2
95Alex Kirsch (Lux) Cult Energy Pro CyclingRow 94 - Cell 2
96Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory RacingRow 95 - Cell 2
97Gert Steegmans (Bel) Trek Factory RacingRow 96 - Cell 2
98Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 97 - Cell 2
99Edward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
100Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:02:12
101Nick Dougall (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka0:02:16
102Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step0:02:18
103Maxat Ayazbayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 102 - Cell 2
104Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo0:02:32
105Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 104 - Cell 2
106Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 105 - Cell 2
107Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 106 - Cell 2
108Shiki Kuroeda (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:02:35
109Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 108 - Cell 2
110Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin0:02:39
111Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 110 - Cell 2
112Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 111 - Cell 2
113Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 112 - Cell 2
114Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 113 - Cell 2
115Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team0:02:45
116Jack Bauer (NZl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team0:03:02
117Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Team Roompot0:03:11
118Huub Duijn (Ned) Team RoompotRow 117 - Cell 2
119Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team RoompotRow 118 - Cell 2
120Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin0:03:23
121Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 120 - Cell 2
122Marco Bandiera (Ita) Androni Giocattoli0:03:26
123Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 122 - Cell 2
124Alberto Nardin (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 123 - Cell 2
125Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team KatushaRow 124 - Cell 2
126Michael Carbel Svendgaard (Den) Cult Energy Pro CyclingRow 125 - Cell 2
127Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 126 - Cell 2
128Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 127 - Cell 2
129Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 128 - Cell 2
130Matthew Brammeier (Irl) MTN - QhubekaRow 129 - Cell 2
131Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling TeamRow 130 - Cell 2
132Lander Seynaeve (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 131 - Cell 2
133Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 132 - Cell 2
134Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement0:03:40
135Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin0:03:57
136Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 135 - Cell 2
137Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - QhubekaRow 136 - Cell 2
138Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro TeamRow 137 - Cell 2
139Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN - QhubekaRow 138 - Cell 2
140Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 139 - Cell 2
141Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 140 - Cell 2
142Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky0:04:04
143Yannick Martinez (Fra) Team Europcar0:04:12
144Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek Factory RacingRow 143 - Cell 2
145Antoine Duchesne (Can) Team EuropcarRow 144 - Cell 2
146Yohann Gene (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 145 - Cell 2
147Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 146 - Cell 2
148Mattia Pozzo (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 147 - Cell 2
149Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:04:18
150Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 149 - Cell 2
151Luke Rowe (GBr) Team SkyRow 150 - Cell 2
152Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team SkyRow 151 - Cell 2
153Ian Stannard (GBr) Team SkyRow 152 - Cell 2
154Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 153 - Cell 2
155Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 154 - Cell 2
156Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 180:04:25
157Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18Row 156 - Cell 2
158Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky0:04:36
159Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:04:50
160Mads Pedersen (Den) Cult Energy Pro Cycling0:05:22
161Morgan Lamoisson (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 160 - Cell 2
162Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 161 - Cell 2
163Matteo Busato (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling0:05:33
164Rudiger Selig (Ger) Team Katusha0:05:36
165Samuele Conti (Ita) Southeast Pro CyclingRow 164 - Cell 2
166Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 165 - Cell 2
167Frantisek Padour (Cze) Androni GiocattoliRow 166 - Cell 2
168Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 167 - Cell 2
169Rasmus Christian Quaade (Den) Cult Energy Pro CyclingRow 168 - Cell 2
170Genki Yamamoto (Jpn) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 169 - Cell 2
171Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:05:45
DNFLouis Verhelst (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Feillu (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFSam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18Row 173 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Mclay (GBr) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFClément Venturini (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFVincent Jerome (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFTiziano Dall'Antonia (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFMirko Tedeschi (Ita) Southeast Pro CyclingRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFFrederique Robert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFDamien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFKen Hanson (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFJakub Mareczko (Ita) Southeast Pro CyclingRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFNikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFElia Viviani (Ita) Team SkyRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFAndrea Dal Col (Ita) Southeast Pro CyclingRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFTom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 187 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 188 - Cell 2
DNSGiorgio Cecchinel (Ita) Southeast Pro CyclingRow 189 - Cell 2

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Daniel Benson

Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.

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