Kittel sprints to win Scheldeprijs
Cavendish finishes in second place ahead of Markus
Marcel Kittel (Team Argos-Shimano) prevailed in a hectic sprint finale to win the Scheldeprijs for a second straight year. Three-time champion Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) finished in second place, denied a chance for a record fourth Scheldeprijs victory, while Barry Markus (Vacansoleil-DCM) rounded out the podium in third place.
Andrea Guardini (Astana) and Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) crossed the line in fourth and fifth respectively in a sprint finale in which no single team was able to assert its authority.
"Because I was the winner of last year's edition, everybody, including myself, expected that I would repeat the trick," said Kittel. "Plus, we really made a goal of it after De Panne as well, so I felt some pressure. But right from the start I felt pretty good and I had a lot of faith in a positive outcome. The guys helped me throughout the whole race to save my energy.
"In the end no team was able to do a very good lead-out. I thought I was boxed in, but Tom Veelers found me and brought me back to the front and did the lead-out perfectly. I started to sprint and thought somebody would pass me, but no one did and I took the victory!"
Kittel was particularly pleased with the result, having had a bad patch of results due to illness.
"I am super happy with this win, as the season has already had some ups and downs," said Kittel. "After Paris-Nice I got sick and had the flu, and the Driedaagse De Panne, which was a big goal for me, didn't go well, as I was not in top shape. During that race I regained my form, though, and I was really focused on taking the win in the Scheldeprijs.
"This is absolutely great, but I have to say that without the teamwork we had today, I couldn't have done it."
Cavendish was sullen after the finish, ruing what might have been as his lead-out train derailed in the approach to the line. "I came from about 20 [places] back with 200 [metres] to go. I was too far back," said Cavendish of the sprint finish. "The whole day we rode so well until the last kilometres."
Cavendish chasing history
At the start in chilly and windy Antwerp, Mark Cavendish gained the most attention when lining up next to the MAS museum. With a fourth win in Schoten 204km away, the Manxman had the chance of becoming the sole record holder.
After rolling out of Antwerp, the peloton dealt with a headwind which blunted the initial average speed. Nine riders would form the early escape, comprised of Grégory Rast (RadioShack-Leopard), Matthew Brammeier and Mart Ojavee (Champion System Pro Cycling Team), Jacobus Venter (MTN-Qhubeka), Kenneth Van Bilsen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Stefano Borchi (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia), Arman Kamyshev (Astana), Christopher Juul Jensen (Saxo Bank) and Koen Barbe (Crelan-Euphony).
After 50km of racing, echelons were formed in the peloton due to the crosswinds and several riders were involved in crashes with Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack Leopard) and Bernard Eisel (Sky) being amongst the victims.
The front part of the peloton kept the pace high and eventually closed the gap to the nine leaders with approximately 85km remaining. The Omega Pharma-QuickStep team was well-represented by seven riders in this front group of approximately 40 riders. Eventually a second and third part of the peloton bridged back up to the front and the pace dropped back down.
Three riders took advantage of this momentary cease-fire to attack: Sven Vandousselaere (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Matthew Brammeier (Champion System) and Stefano Borchi (Vini Fantini), the latter two men also present in the early move of nine riders.
The trio pushed out a lead of more than three minutes on the peloton but when reaching the three local laps of 16.5 kilometres each, it was clear the peloton was in total control. Just before hitting the penultimate lap, everything was back together in front.
Team Argos-Shimano, Omega Pharma-QuickStep and Lotto Belisol were prominent at the front of the peloton when the final lap commenced. The Blanco team lost a valuable man with 14km to go when Graeme Brown flatted while Omega Pharma-QuickStep and Team Sky continued to set the pace.
Heading into the final kilometre Team Argos-Shimano and Lotto Belisol had dueling lead-out trains at the fore, but the organisation soon fractured creating a typically frantic finale in Schoten.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano | 4:41:00 |
2 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
3 | Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
4 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
5 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha | |
6 | Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp | |
7 | Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
8 | Theo Bos (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team | |
9 | Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
10 | Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
11 | Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team | |
12 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team Europcar | |
13 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
14 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
15 | Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
16 | Kurt Hovelijnck (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
17 | Roy Jans (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
18 | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | |
19 | Roman Maikin (Rus) RusVelo | |
20 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka | |
21 | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
22 | Alexander Serebryakov (Rus) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
23 | Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
24 | Ricardo Garcia Ambroa (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
25 | Jonathan Mcevoy (GBr) Team NetApp-Endura | |
26 | Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN-Qhubeka | |
27 | Kevin Claeys (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
28 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ | |
29 | Ioannis Tamouridis (Gre) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
30 | Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Procycling | |
31 | Michele Merlo (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
32 | Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar | |
33 | Clinton Robert Avery (NZl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
34 | Steven Caethoven (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
35 | Russell Downing (GBr) Team NetApp-Endura | |
36 | Peio Bilbao (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
37 | Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin-Sharp | |
38 | Jacobe Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | |
39 | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
40 | David Boucher (Fra) FDJ | |
41 | Roberto De Patre (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
42 | Steve Chainel (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
43 | Ralf Matzka (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | |
44 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
45 | Igor Boev (Rus) RusVelo | |
46 | Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
47 | Eloy Teruel Rovira (Spa) Movistar Team | |
48 | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
49 | Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
50 | Sebastien Rosseler (Bel) Garmin-Sharp | |
51 | Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano | |
52 | Stijn Steels (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
53 | Rudiger Selig (Ger) Katusha | |
54 | Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar Team | |
55 | Jesus Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team | |
56 | Roger Kluge (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | |
57 | Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ | |
58 | Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha | |
59 | Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
60 | Kevin Peeters (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
61 | Joeri Bueken (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
62 | José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Movistar Team | |
63 | Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team | |
64 | Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ | |
65 | Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol | |
66 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Argos-Shimano | |
67 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
68 | Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
69 | Morgan Lamoisson (Fra) Team Europcar | |
70 | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
71 | William Clarke (Aus) Team Argos-Shimano | |
72 | Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:08 |
73 | David Veilleux (Can) Team Europcar | |
74 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ | |
75 | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ | |
76 | Steffen Radochla (Ger) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
77 | Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
78 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) RadioShack Leopard | |
79 | Tom Veelers (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano | |
80 | Andreas Klier (Ger) Garmin-Sharp | |
81 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
82 | Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
83 | Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
84 | Yves Lampaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
85 | Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | |
86 | Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) RadioShack Leopard | |
87 | Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha | |
88 | Martin Reimer (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka | |
89 | Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
90 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) Blanco Pro Cycling Team | |
91 | Bjorn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
92 | Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 0:00:24 |
93 | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ | |
94 | Markus Eichler (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | |
95 | Rafael Andriato (Bra) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
96 | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
97 | Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | |
98 | Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
99 | Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
100 | Luigi Miletta (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | |
101 | Maarten Neyens (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
102 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | |
103 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano | |
104 | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano | |
105 | Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
106 | Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar | |
107 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky Procycling | 0:00:33 |
108 | Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:44 |
109 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:46 |
110 | Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
111 | Hugo Houle (Can) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
112 | Grégory Rast (Swi) RadioShack Leopard | |
113 | Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin-Sharp | |
114 | Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
115 | Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Sharp | |
116 | Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
117 | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team | |
118 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) RadioShack Leopard | |
119 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling | |
120 | Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
121 | Gedimias Bagdonas (Ltu) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
122 | Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
123 | Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha | |
124 | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling | |
125 | Evan Huffman (USA) Astana Pro Team | |
126 | Manuel Belletti (Ita) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
127 | Jeffry Louder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | |
128 | Vladimir Isaichev (Rus) Katusha | |
129 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling | |
130 | Hayden Roulston (NZl) RadioShack Leopard | |
131 | Luca Paolini (Ita) Katusha | |
132 | Erick Rowsell (GBr) Team NetApp-Endura | |
133 | Koen Barbe (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
134 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky Procycling | |
135 | Frederique Robert (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
136 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
137 | John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | 0:01:06 |
138 | Michael Morkov (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 0:01:30 |
139 | Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
140 | Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Ag2R La Mondiale | 0:01:31 |
141 | Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
142 | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano | |
143 | Jéröme Gilbert (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | 0:01:51 |
144 | Viktor Manakov (Rus) RusVelo | 0:01:55 |
145 | Ivan Savitskiy (Rus) RusVelo | |
146 | Jacob Rathe (USA) Garmin-Sharp | |
147 | Fabian Schnaidt (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
148 | Alexander Rybakov (Rus) RusVelo | |
149 | Adrian Saez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
150 | Davide Appollonio (Ita) Ag2R La Mondiale | 0:01:57 |
151 | Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team | |
152 | Robert Thomas Wagner (Ger) Blanco Pro Cycling Team | 0:02:15 |
153 | Graeme Brown (Aus) Blanco Pro Cycling Team | |
154 | Jos Van Emden (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team | |
155 | Stefano Borchi (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia | 0:02:28 |
156 | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Blanco Pro Cycling Team | |
157 | Jacobus Venter (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
158 | Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | |
159 | Matt Brammeier (Irl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
160 | Kin San Wu (HKg) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
161 | Sergey Klimov (Rus) RusVelo | |
162 | Andrei Solomennikov (Rus) RusVelo | |
163 | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Team Europcar | |
164 | Rick Flens (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team | |
165 | Damien Gaudin (Fra) Team Europcar | |
166 | Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
DNS | Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ | |
DNS | Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
DNF | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
DNF | Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | André Schulze (Ger) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
DNF | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha | |
DNF | Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol | |
DNF | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack Leopard | |
DNF | Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling | |
DNF | Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
DNF | Tim De Troyer (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
DNF | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
DNF | Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Ryan Roth (Can) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Martin Wesemann (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
DNF | Bradley Potgieter (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
DNF | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN-Qhubeka | |
DNF | Jim Songezo (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
DNF | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar | |
DNF | Pieter Van Herck (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
DNF | Valery Kaykov (Rus) RusVelo | |
DNF | Sven Vandousselaere (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
DNF | Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team |
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