Scheldeprijs: Jakobsen continues Quick-Step's winning streak

Fabio Jakobson continued Quick-Step Floors' incredible start to the season with a surprise win in Scheldeprijs on Wednesday, in reduced bunch sprint victory over Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Chris Lawless (Team Sky).

The race appeared to be heading towards a Marcel Kittel procession, with the German looking for his sixth title, but a string of incidents in the race - including a late puncture for the German - saw a number of high-profile candidates ruled out.

The main talking point came earlier in the race when a near 30-strong group containing Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) was disqualified after ignoring UCI rules at a level crossing. At that point, the bunch had split into several echelons, with both riders caught out in a second group. They tried to ride over the crossing too late and were disqualified as a result.

With Katusha and Kittel making the split it looked as though the German would take the win but his late puncture turned the race on its head. There were several late attacks, with none of the remaining sprint teams willing or able enough to control affairs.

Step forward Jakobson and Quick-Step, who wrestled control at the front of the field inside the closing kilometres. Lawless, already a victor in Team Sky colours this season, opened the sprint and looked to be heading for another win but his Quick-Step rival was simply too strong, with Ackermann coming around the British rider to steal second.

Jakobson, still just 21, but a winner of Nokere Koerse earlier this year, was asked to explain his team's dominance this season.

"I think it's because we start winning and everyone starts to believe in it. We always go for one guy full gas and that is the strength of the pack. When one person starts winning, we all want to start winning. It's amazing to be in 'the wolfpack'," Jakobsen said.

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Cross-winds come into play

The 2018 Scheldeprijs course was redesigned with a start in Terneuzen, Netherlands. Compared with the massive crowds in Mol last year, the fans didn’t find the way to Terneuzen on Wednesday. The first 100 kilometres through the flatlands in the Zeeland region didn’t disappoint. Grey clouds and a strong wind resulted in proper racing. Most roads connecting two villages were placed on top of a dyke, leaving the riders battling against the wind.

Unsurprisingly, on countless occasions, echelons were formed. Top favourite Marcel Kittel ended up at the back of the race when he punctured. Thanks to the support of Tony Martin, he managed to get back to the first peloton. A group of riders crashed hard into a small parked car. Among the victims were Lawrence Naesen (Lotto-Soudal), Phil Bauhaus (Sunweb), Marko Kump (CCC), Carlos Alzate, Eric Marcotte and Travis McCabe for United Healthcare.

After the first hour in the race, averaged at 48 kph, five riders escaped the peloton. They were Jan-Willem van Schip (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij), Sean De Bie (Lotto-Soudal), Jonas Rickaert (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Alexander Cataford (United Healthcare).

Groenewegen and Démare disqualified

The five leaders collected more than three minutes on the peloton but at the 100km mark, racing again kicked off in the peloton. In Krabbendijke, the first echelon safely passed through a train crossing. A second peloton of about 35 riders, led by French champion Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), ignored the lights and lowering barriers. A third and fourth echelon stopped at the barriers. Little later, the race jury took the Démare-group out of the race. Pre-race favourite Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) was also part of this group. Meanwhile, the five leaders were caught back by the first peloton.

When entering Belgium in Putte-Kapellen, after 130 kilometres of racing, rain welcomed the riders. With the Zeeland battle being over, the race situation was more clear. At this point in the race, only 54 riders were left in the main peloton. The Katusha team of Marcel Kittel took the lead, with all riders of the team present except for Tony Martin who was part of the group that was taken out after the train crossing.

Owain Doull (Sky) and Antoine Duchesne (Groupama-FDJ) attacked the peloton in Ekeren at 60 kilometres from the finish. The duo reached the finish line to start the first of three 17km long local laps, riding one minute ahead of the bunch.

During the first local lap, it started to rain heavily when the riders reached the 1700 metres long pavé section of the Broekstraat. Katusha received support from Quick-Step Floors in order to bring the breakaway group back. With two laps to go, the gap was down to 1:20. When hitting the final lap, the gap to the two leaders was down to 37 seconds.

Finale

With Katusha stacking the front of the peloton it looked as though the peloton were willing to submit to the inevitable Kittle win. However, with just 12km the script was torn up when the five-time winner had a mechanical. He was chasing soon enough but his constant head-shaking suggested all was not well. Over the next six kilometres he chased back to the bunch but with just under seven kilometres to go he threw in the towel.

The Katusha-shaped hole at the front was filed by a number of team but several opportunists looking to escape after the Doull group was caught. With two kilometres to go Team Sky and Quick-Step traded turns on the front but Jakobson proved the fastest.

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