Kittel beats Cavendish to win Scheldeprijs
German pips Dimension Data rider in bunch sprint
Marcel Kittel (Etixx Quickstep) won his fourth Scheldeprijs title on Wednesday after a sprint finish against Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data).
The German led out the sprint with Cavendish waiting until the final 100 meters before trying to counter. Despite a valiant effort from the British rider, Kittel was able to hold on and take the win. Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) finished third.
Kittel’s win puts him ahead of Cavendish in the all-time record books with the German on four wins in Scheldeprijs and Cavendish stuck on three.
“The team did a super job to get me in the right position. It was a good fight with Mark,” Kittel said at the finish.
“I said before the race that I'm not here to make history, I'm racing for joy, for pleasure, just riding my bike. It's even better if I could get the record here for the wins in the Scheldeprijs. I like this race. Sometimes it's not easy, like today. You normally always have the best sprinters here, and it's great to win.”
Kittel, of course, replaced Cavendish at Etixx over the winter with the British rider moving to Dimension Data. Such sub-plots mattered little today, with the win the only objective for both riders. They of weren’t the only contenders who lined up in Antwerp with Greipel, Elia Viviani (Team Sky), and defending champion Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) all potential winners.
The riders lined up in the shadow of the MAS Pavilion museum in the renovated Antwerp docks, using the modern building to protect them from the cold western wind that was blowing across northern Belgium.
Fabian Cancellara (Trek Segafredo) chatted calmly with Germany’s Robert Wagner (LottoNL-Jumbo), while Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) avoided the clamour of the Belgian cycling fans by quickly signing on and then only returning to the start area after the first riders rolled away for the 208km race.
With the grey skies gathering, none of the 162 starters were in the mood to race hard from the start. The early break of the day formed soon after the official race start in Schoten. In it were Lieuwe Westra (Astana), Sander Helven (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Berden De Vries (Roompot), French national champion Steven Tronet (Fortuneo-Vital Concept), Nico Denz (AG2R La Mondiale) and Tomasz Kiendys (CCC Sprandi Polkowice). Other riders tried to go across but were quickly controlled before the peloton allowed the six to open a lead of three minutes.
The gap rose to five minutes after 45 kilometers of racing, with a tailwind helping the break as they headed north, despite rain beginning to fall. After a 100km the gap was down to three minutes as the different sprinters’ team put a rider on the front of the peloton to help the chase. The peloton split into several groups after 150km of racing, with Sagan caught behind but the rainbow jersey was soon back up front with some help from two teammates.
The break ran out of steam as the race approached the finish area. Frederik Backaert (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) jumped away alone and was then joined by Brian Van Goethem (Rompoot). They got the first cheer from the crowd but never opened a huge advantage. Belgian national champion Preben Van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Sebastien Turgot (AG2R La Mondiale) tried to go across, but with the likes of Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep) helping with the chase, they were quickly pulled back.
The rain started to come down hard with 40km left to race and this sparked the early retirement of Ian Stannard (Team Sky) who preferred to save himself for Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix. Other riders preferred to stay on or near the front to avoid possible crashes but the riders seemed to respect each others' safety as the circuit twisted around the country roads east of Antwerp.
The wind added an extra factor to the race, with the peloton lined out as the speed increased. Dimension Data rode carefully to protect Cavendish and the hint of an echelon saw several riders go out the back. Boonen ensured he was well placed but after dropping off young teammate Erik Baska, Sagan sat up and slipped out of the race via the back door, preferring to avoid any risks before Paris-Roubaix.
Dimension Data continued to lead the race as the last lap approached with Matt Brammeier on the front for the African team before Lotto Soudal and Etixx-Quickstep also moved up. The pace was not yet high as the bell rang for the start of the final 18.6km lap around Schoten.
With the race approaching the final 10 kilometers Etixx, Lotto Soudal and Dimension Data vied for control but it wasn’t until the final 3km that Kittel’s team began to dominate. Tyler Farrar, who had helped Cavendish position himself on Kittel’s back wheel – almost a victory in itself given the effort it required – peeled off, leaving Kittel, Cavendish and Greipel as the three best positioned sprinters.
Kittel led the sprint out, and it quickly became apparent that Griepel lacked the freshness in his legs to compete. Cavendish had hung on, and he opted to come around Kittel’s right. He was pulling level as the line approached but Kittel had more in the tank and one last push for the line saw the Etixx rider come out on top.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step | 4:54:05 |
2 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Daniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Boris Vallee (Bel) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Marc Sarreau (Fra) FDJ | 0:00:03 |
18 | André Looij (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Eryk Laton (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00:09 |
28 | Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:00:11 |
30 | Wesley Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Jack Bauer (NZl) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:14 |
35 | Barry Markus (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | 0:00:20 |
37 | Rayane Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Maxime Farazijn (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJ | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | 0:00:23 |
47 | Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team | 0:00:25 |
48 | Matteo Draperi (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff Team | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Team | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Astana Pro Team | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Team | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Ryan Mullen (Irl) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data | 0:00:29 |
61 | Kenny De Haes (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Trek-Segafredo | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Michael Morkov (Den) Team Katusha | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Rudiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:00:39 |
73 | Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Alexander Porsev (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Liam Bertazzo (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | 0:00:42 |
77 | Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:49 |
79 | Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:00:51 |
80 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek-Segafredo | 0:01:07 |
81 | Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Jan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:01:18 |
83 | Ivar Slik (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha | 0:01:20 |
85 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:01:23 |
86 | Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data | 0:01:27 |
87 | Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | 0:01:31 |
88 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:01:41 |
89 | Enrique Sanz (Spa) Southeast - Venezuela | 0:01:44 |
90 | Robin Stenuit (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:01:50 |
91 | Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:01:52 |
92 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:02:03 |
93 | Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie | 0:02:07 |
95 | Borut Bozic (Slo) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:02:15 |
99 | Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:02:18 |
100 | Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Julien Morice (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha | 0:02:25 |
109 | Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie | 0:02:44 |
110 | Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ | 0:03:05 |
111 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Matt Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Adam Blythe (GBr) Tinkoff Team | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (Fra) FDJ | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct Energie | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Jesse Sergent (NZl) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data | 0:04:10 |
122 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
123 | Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
124 | Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
127 | Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
128 | Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:05:12 |
129 | Steven Tronet (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
130 | Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Vegard Breen (Nor) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | 0:05:17 |
132 | Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) FDJ | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
133 | Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
134 | Kristoffer Skjerping (Nor) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
135 | Brice Feillu (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
136 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
137 | Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Dimension Data | 0:05:48 |
138 | Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
139 | Steven Lammertink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:07:56 |
140 | Davide Martinelli (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
141 | Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
142 | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
143 | Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
144 | Andrea Dal Col (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 143 - Cell 2 |
145 | Maxime Cam (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 144 - Cell 2 |
146 | Lander Seynaeve (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
147 | Mirko Trosino (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 146 - Cell 2 |
148 | Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 147 - Cell 2 |
149 | Nikolay Mihaylov (Bul) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 148 - Cell 2 |
150 | Mirko Tedeschi (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 149 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nils Politt (Ger) Team Katusha | Row 150 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 151 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maxat Ayazbayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 152 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team | Row 153 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | Row 154 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team | Row 155 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 156 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 157 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Berden De Vries (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 158 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Aimé Degendt (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 159 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 160 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 161 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team | Row 162 - Cell 2 |
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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.