Kittel wins Scheldeprijs for 5th time

Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) made his fifth career win in the Scheldeprijs look easy, taking out the sprint in Schoten from the front in a dominant fashion over Elia Viviani (Team Sky). Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) was third.

The victory came after a late crash disrupted the peloton, but Kittel avoided the carnage, and had a perfect lead-out from teammate Matteo Trentin.

"It was fantastic work from the team, Tom Boonen was strong in the finale. I was happy he could help me so much. Fabio Sabatini was caught up in the crash, but Matteo Trentin was very good and very smart in the lead-out," Kittel said.

"I think it's now a pretty good record so far. Schoten feels a little bit like my living room. I'm always happy to win here again and to see the fantastic spectators. It's one of my favourite races," he said, confirming that he will forgo the Giro d'Italia. "I won't be in the Giro. Fernando [Gaviria] will be our sprinter there in the team. I will take some rest now and restart my training, and then ride the Tour of California as I build up to the Tour de France."

How it unfolded

Kittel's victory in the 105th edition of Scheldeprijs was somewhat overshadowed as Belgium celebrated the career of Tom Boonen, who toed the line on home soil for the final time before his impending retirement after Paris-Roubaix.

The race kicked off from his home town of Mol and all eyes were on 'Tommeke' as the peloton wound through his stomping grounds before his grandfather dropped the flag for kilometer 0.

Kittel was the top favourite for the race, but thanks to the attention on his teammate he was not stormed by the media when signing on. "It's a nice experience to be here with Tom Boonen. It's a great motivation too. It's also my last race for me with him. The pressure is on," Kittel said.

It wasn't long before a breakaway was established, with Roompot the most assertive in ensuring they were represented. Pim Ligthart (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij) led the way with Marco Mathis (Katusha-Alpecin), Christophe Premont (Verandas Willems-Crelan), Stijn Steels (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Frederik Veuchelen (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Julien Stassen (WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect) and Eugert Zhupa (Wilier-Triestina).

They were allowed a five minute lead after 52km, as Boonen soaked up the adoration of his fans. Quick-Step Floors came moved forward to keep the gap under control. After two hours of racing the gap was down to three minutes and it kept dropping until the race reached the halfway point and the feed zone.

The gap went down to 2:15 at 80 kilometres from the finish but then the chase calmed down. Riders from Cofidis, Lotto-Soudal, LottoNL-Jumbo and Team Sky joined Quick-Step in front of the peloton, all having fast men in their ranks.
Nevertheless, the gap increased again up to nearly three minutes at 70 kilometres from the finish.

At the first of three passages of the finish in Schoten, the advantage for the leaders was down to 1:40. For the usual suspects in the northern classics, there was no pressure. Luke Rowe (Team Sky) was working in front of the peloton while world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) was picking up bottles for his teammates at the team car. André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) flatted when the peloton was racing at high speed but the experienced German rider never panicked.

The pace in the peloton never eased off completely and at 38 kilometres from the finish the gap dropped under the minute.

Ligthart accelerated to try and breathe some new life into the fading escape, but only served to shake Premont loose, and soon Mathis was distanced, too.

Zhupa took the lead on the penultimate traverse of the cobbled Broekstraat, and distanced everyone but Ligthart - but two against an increasingly energized peloton was not enough. They were reeled in with 19km to go, and the sprinters' teams kept the pace high to discourage any further attacks.

Boonen himself came to the fore of the Quick-Step train with 7km to go to keep the pace high for Kittel, but FDJ, Bora-Hansgrohe and Sunweb challenged for control of the front.

A crash with 4km to go near the front of the group took down a huge number of riders and delaying Greipel, but Sagan was fortunate to have avoided the mayhem. But he pulled off the front soon after, happy to finish the race risk-free.

Sky led into the final turn for Viviani, but Quick-Step was on the wheel with Kittel tucked into a perfect position. He took the sprint from the front and easily cruised to his fifth career win in the race.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Marcel Kittel (Ger) Quick-Step Floors4:35:25
2Elia Viviani (Ita) Team SkyRow 1 - Cell 2
3Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 2 - Cell 2
4Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 3 - Cell 2
5Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 4 - Cell 2
6Rudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 5 - Cell 2
7Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension DataRow 6 - Cell 2
8Marc Sarreau (Fra) FDJRow 7 - Cell 2
9Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team SunwebRow 8 - Cell 2
10Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 9 - Cell 2
11Ivan Garcia (Spa) Bahrain-MeridaRow 10 - Cell 2
12Boy van Poppel (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 11 - Cell 2
13Robin Stenuit (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 12 - Cell 2
14Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo0:00:02
15Michael Morkov (Den) Katusha-AlpecinRow 14 - Cell 2
16Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-DrapacRow 15 - Cell 2
17Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale-DrapacRow 16 - Cell 2
18Kevyn Ista (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 17 - Cell 2
19Erwann Corbel (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 18 - Cell 2
20Matteo Trentin (Ita) Quick-Step Floors0:00:05
21Timothy Dupont (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 20 - Cell 2
22Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 21 - Cell 2
23Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe0:00:07
25Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Dimension DataRow 24 - Cell 2
26Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto SoudalRow 25 - Cell 2
27Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 27 - Cell 2
29Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 28 - Cell 2
30Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 29 - Cell 2
31Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale-DrapacRow 30 - Cell 2
32Stijn Devolder (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 31 - Cell 2
33Maxime Daniel (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 32 - Cell 2
34Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha-AlpecinRow 33 - Cell 2
35Liam Bertazzo (Ita) Wilier Triestina0:00:12
36Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ0:00:13
37Boris Vallee (Bel) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 36 - Cell 2
38Lukas Spengler (Swi) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 37 - Cell 2
39Jonathan Dibben (GBr) Team SkyRow 38 - Cell 2
40Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension DataRow 39 - Cell 2
41Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 40 - Cell 2
42Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Floors0:00:20
43Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 42 - Cell 2
44Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 43 - Cell 2
45Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:00:22
46Riccardo Minali (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:00:24
47Moreno Hofland (Ned) Lotto Soudal0:00:27
48Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 47 - Cell 2
49Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 48 - Cell 2
50Tim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij0:00:32
51Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:00:34
52Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky0:00:48
53Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) FDJRow 52 - Cell 2
54Scott Thwaites (GBr) Dimension DataRow 53 - Cell 2
55Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky0:01:06
56Alex Turrin (Ita) Wilier Triestina0:01:24
57Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Katusha-AlpecinRow 56 - Cell 2
58Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 57 - Cell 2
59Andre Looij (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 58 - Cell 2
60Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky0:01:28
61Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:30
62Bert De Backer (Bel) Team SunwebRow 61 - Cell 2
63Sander Cordeel (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 62 - Cell 2
64Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step Floors0:01:37
65Erik Baska (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 64 - Cell 2
66Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe0:01:43
67Davide Martinelli (Ita) Quick-Step Floors0:01:56
68Etienne Van Empel (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 67 - Cell 2
69Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 68 - Cell 2
70Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 69 - Cell 2
71Giuseppe Fonzi (Ita) Wilier TriestinaRow 70 - Cell 2
72Jarl Salomein (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 71 - Cell 2
73Christophe Masson (Fra) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 72 - Cell 2
74Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 73 - Cell 2
75Lawrence Naesen (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 74 - Cell 2
76Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team SunwebRow 75 - Cell 2
77Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team SunwebRow 76 - Cell 2
78Ludwig De Winter (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 77 - Cell 2
79Lennard Kämna (Ger) Team SunwebRow 78 - Cell 2
80Meiyin Wang (Chn) Bahrain-MeridaRow 79 - Cell 2
81Ludovic Robeet (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 80 - Cell 2
82Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-AlpecinRow 81 - Cell 2
83Elie Gesbert (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 82 - Cell 2
84Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La MondialeRow 83 - Cell 2
85Ion Insausti (Spa) Bahrain-MeridaRow 84 - Cell 2
86Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 85 - Cell 2
87Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 86 - Cell 2
88Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 87 - Cell 2
89Michal Kolár (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 88 - Cell 2
90Pierre Luc Perichon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 89 - Cell 2
91Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto SoudalRow 90 - Cell 2
92Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) FDJRow 91 - Cell 2
93Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 92 - Cell 2
94Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 93 - Cell 2
95Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 94 - Cell 2
96Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:02:04
97Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:02:45
98Kevin Deltombe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:03:10
99Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Quick-Step FloorsRow 98 - Cell 2
100Rafael Andriato (Bra) Wilier TriestinaRow 99 - Cell 2
101Owain Doull (GBr) Team Sky0:03:25
102Ian Stannard (GBr) Team SkyRow 101 - Cell 2
103Tim Declercq (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 102 - Cell 2
104Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team SunwebRow 103 - Cell 2
105Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 104 - Cell 2
106Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 105 - Cell 2
107Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJRow 106 - Cell 2
108Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 107 - Cell 2
109Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:03:36
110Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 109 - Cell 2
111Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:03:49
112Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 111 - Cell 2
113Maxime Farazijn (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 112 - Cell 2
114Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 113 - Cell 2
115Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 114 - Cell 2
116Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 115 - Cell 2
117Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data0:04:24
118Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin0:04:55
119Mads Würtz Schmidt (Den) Katusha-AlpecinRow 118 - Cell 2
120Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 119 - Cell 2
121Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Team LottNl-JumboRow 120 - Cell 2
122Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ0:05:25
123Gregory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo0:05:26
124Matti Breschel (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 123 - Cell 2
125Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek-SegafredoRow 124 - Cell 2
126Zhandos Bizhigitov (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 125 - Cell 2
127Francis Mourey (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 126 - Cell 2
128Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Wilier TriestinaRow 127 - Cell 2
129Matthias Brändle (Aut) Trek-SegafredoRow 128 - Cell 2
130Matteo Draperi (Ita) Wilier TriestinaRow 129 - Cell 2
131Edward Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 130 - Cell 2
132Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 131 - Cell 2
133Elias Van Breussegem (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 132 - Cell 2
134Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 133 - Cell 2
135Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La MondialeRow 134 - Cell 2
136Taco Van Der Hoorn (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 135 - Cell 2
137Mark Mcnally (GBr) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 136 - Cell 2
138Thomas Scully (NZl) Cannondale-DrapacRow 137 - Cell 2
139Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-DrapacRow 138 - Cell 2
140Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension Data0:06:11
141Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal0:06:22
142Steven Lammertink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:07:24
143Lars Boom (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:07:26
144Stijn Steels (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 143 - Cell 2
145Pim Ligthart (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 144 - Cell 2
146Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 145 - Cell 2
147Julien Stassen (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 146 - Cell 2
148Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 147 - Cell 2
149Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
150William Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-DrapacRow 149 - Cell 2
151Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora-HansgroheRow 150 - Cell 2
152Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Dimension Data0:09:51
153Max Walscheid (Ger) Team Sunweb0:11:05
154Christophe Prémont (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan0:13:26
155Marco Mathis (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFDanny Van Poppel (Ned) Team SkyRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Sagan (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFPhil Bauhaus (Ger) Team SunwebRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFMark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension DataRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFDimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFAndré Greipel (Ger) Lotto SoudalRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFRoy Jans (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFAndrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFMads Pedersen (Den) Trek-SegafredoRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFTruls Korsaeth (Nor) Astana Pro TeamRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFStef Van Zummeren (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 166 - Cell 2

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