Kristoff wins yet again in Scheldeprijs
Norwegian unbeatable in crash-marred sprint
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
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha | 4:30:10 |
2 | Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
3 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | |
4 | Marc Sarreau (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
5 | Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | |
6 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
7 | Nicolas Marini (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
8 | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
9 | Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
10 | Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
11 | Boris Vallee (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
12 | Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
13 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky | |
14 | John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
15 | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:00:08 |
16 | Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00:11 |
17 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
18 | Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:00:17 |
19 | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha | 0:00:24 |
20 | Kristoffer Skjerping (Nor) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
21 | Tom De Vriendt (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
22 | Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
23 | Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
24 | Jef Van Meirhaeghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
25 | Barry Markus (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
26 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | |
27 | Ralf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
28 | Joel Zangerle (Lux) Cult Energy Pro Cycling | 0:00:31 |
29 | André Looij (Ned) Team Roompot | 0:00:38 |
30 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
31 | Theo Bos (Ned) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:00:42 |
32 | Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
33 | Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | |
34 | David Boucher (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
35 | Alessandro Malaguti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
36 | Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
37 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | |
38 | Christophe Laborie (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | |
39 | Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha | 0:00:47 |
40 | Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Bora-Argon 18 | |
41 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:53 |
42 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:00:56 |
43 | Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek Factory Racing | |
44 | Wesley Kreder (Ned) Team Roompot | |
45 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:01:03 |
46 | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:01:06 |
47 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal | |
48 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:01:09 |
49 | Martin Mortensen (Den) Cult Energy Pro Cycling | 0:01:16 |
50 | Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
51 | Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | |
52 | Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
53 | Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
54 | Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
55 | Jesper Asselman (Ned) Team Roompot | |
56 | Karel Hnik (Cze) Cult Energy Pro Cycling | |
57 | Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
58 | Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:01:23 |
59 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
60 | Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek Factory Racing | |
61 | Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Soudal | |
62 | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
63 | Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
64 | Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.fr | |
65 | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
66 | Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:01:29 |
67 | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
68 | Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | 0:01:32 |
69 | Riccardo Stacchiotti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
70 | Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
71 | Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
72 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
73 | Hayden Roulston (NZl) Trek Factory Racing | |
74 | Antonio Viola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | 0:01:43 |
75 | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky | |
76 | Alexander Porsev (Rus) Team Katusha | 0:01:46 |
77 | Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha | |
78 | Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:01:49 |
79 | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | |
80 | Tim Kerkhof (Ned) Team Roompot | |
81 | Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Team Roompot | |
82 | Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
83 | Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
84 | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
85 | Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
86 | Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
87 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
88 | Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
89 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:01:59 |
90 | Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 0:02:05 |
91 | Fabio Taborre (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
92 | Frédéric Brun (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | |
93 | Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
94 | Julien Morice (Fra) Team Europcar | |
95 | Alex Kirsch (Lux) Cult Energy Pro Cycling | |
96 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | |
97 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | |
98 | Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
99 | Edward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
100 | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:02:12 |
101 | Nick Dougall (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:02:16 |
102 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:02:18 |
103 | Maxat Ayazbayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
104 | Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | 0:02:32 |
105 | Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
106 | Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
107 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
108 | Shiki Kuroeda (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini | 0:02:35 |
109 | Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
110 | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:02:39 |
111 | Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
112 | Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
113 | Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
114 | Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
115 | Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | 0:02:45 |
116 | Jack Bauer (NZl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | 0:03:02 |
117 | Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Team Roompot | 0:03:11 |
118 | Huub Duijn (Ned) Team Roompot | |
119 | Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team Roompot | |
120 | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:03:23 |
121 | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
122 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 0:03:26 |
123 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
124 | Alberto Nardin (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
125 | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha | |
126 | Michael Carbel Svendgaard (Den) Cult Energy Pro Cycling | |
127 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
128 | Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
129 | Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
130 | Matthew Brammeier (Irl) MTN - Qhubeka | |
131 | Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
132 | Lander Seynaeve (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
133 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
134 | Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | 0:03:40 |
135 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:03:57 |
136 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
137 | Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
138 | Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team | |
139 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN - Qhubeka | |
140 | Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
141 | Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
142 | Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky | 0:04:04 |
143 | Yannick Martinez (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:04:12 |
144 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek Factory Racing | |
145 | Antoine Duchesne (Can) Team Europcar | |
146 | Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar | |
147 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team Europcar | |
148 | Mattia Pozzo (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
149 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:04:18 |
150 | Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
151 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | |
152 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky | |
153 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | |
154 | Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | |
155 | Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha | |
156 | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:04:25 |
157 | Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18 | |
158 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | 0:04:36 |
159 | Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:04:50 |
160 | Mads Pedersen (Den) Cult Energy Pro Cycling | 0:05:22 |
161 | Morgan Lamoisson (Fra) Team Europcar | |
162 | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
163 | Matteo Busato (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | 0:05:33 |
164 | Rudiger Selig (Ger) Team Katusha | 0:05:36 |
165 | Samuele Conti (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
166 | Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team Europcar | |
167 | Frantisek Padour (Cze) Androni Giocattoli | |
168 | Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
169 | Rasmus Christian Quaade (Den) Cult Energy Pro Cycling | |
170 | Genki Yamamoto (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
171 | Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:05:45 |
DNF | Louis Verhelst (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Romain Feillu (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | |
DNF | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Daniel Mclay (GBr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | |
DNF | Clément Venturini (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar | |
DNF | Tiziano Dall'Antonia (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Mirko Tedeschi (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Frederique Robert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Ken Hanson (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
DNF | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | |
DNF | Andrea Dal Col (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
DNF | Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNS | Giorgio Cecchinel (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling |

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