Preview Scheldeprijs 2024 | Philipsen and Merlier present, but more importantly: the wind too!

Three days after "Vlaanderens Mooiste," won for the third time in his career by Mathieu van der Poel, it's already time for the next Belgian classic, the Scheldeprijs. The race, held a stone's throw from Antwerp, usually ends in a sprinters' showdown, and this year is likely to be no different. IDLProCycling.com will gladly bring you all the details!

When you glance at the list of Scheldeprijs winners, you cannot help but conclude that this is a race tailored for the gentlemen of the sprinters' guild. Marcel Kittel, Mark Cavendish, Fabio Jakobsen: these are the riders with the highest top speed who grace the list of winners multiple times.

Last year, it was Jasper Philipsen who claimed victory in the Scheldeprijs. In a traditionally frantic sprint, the Alpecin-Deceuninck leader powered to the finish line, leaving Sam Welsford and Mark Cavendish behind in second and third place, respectively.

2023 Jasper Philipsen
2022 Alexander Kristoff
2021 Jasper Philipsen
2020 Caleb Ewan
2019 Fabio Jakobsen
2018 Fabio Jakobsen
2017 Marcel Kittel
2016 Marcel Kittel
2015 Alexander Kristoff
2014 Marcel Kittel

You don't need to climb any altimeters at the Scheldt (and thus the Scheldeprijs): the race is as flat as the average pancake. In fact, the course has barely changed from last year. We kick off in the Dutch town of Terneuzen, from where we cover the first 75 kilometers through the Dutch countryside.

Places such as Hoogerheide and Essen, among others, will then be on the route. After that, the riders will certainly cross into Belgian territory, reaching the local lap of 17 kilometers after 140 kilometers of racing. It's on this lap that the pace is expected to ramp up, favoring the fast men who can hold on until Schoten.

Chances are high that we'll witness another fierce sprint in Schoten. However, there's another factor that could potentially shake things up: the wind. Nonetheless, expectations don't suggest it will play a crucial role in 2024.

Weather
Wednesday afternoon will not be lacking in temperature, as the mercury rises to about thirteen degrees Celsius in the Antwerp area. However, the chance of precipitation is also quite high. It is estimated that the probability of rain showers is about fifty percent. And then we haven't even mentioned the wind, which also comes up fairly well at a strength of five on the Beaufort scale. So it will be exciting in meteorological terms as well!

Times
Start: 1 p.m.
Finish: around 5:30 p.m.

Who else but Jasper Philipsen is the man to beat in the Scheldeprijs? The Flemish rider is in good form, having clinched victory at Milan-Sanremo earlier this year. Moreover, the defending champion opted to skip the Tour of Flanders to fully prepare for this race. Alpecin-Deceuninck is also enjoying a successful season, largely thanks to Mathieu van der Poel. So, the Roodhooft brothers' team certainly has the momentum.

For Philipsen, Tim Merlier seems to be his biggest rival. In the Classic Brugge-De Panne, the compatriots were evenly matched in the sprint, but it was the younger of the two who emerged victorious. Merlier, representing Soudal Quick-Step (a team experiencing a slight dip in form), will be equally determined to secure a victory.

Beyond these two top favorites, the list of outsiders is extensive. Consider Dylan Groenewegen, who has come close to winning several sprint races recently. Will the Jayco-AlUla rider from Amsterdam clinch the coveted win in Schoten? Sam Welsford (BORA-hansgrohe) also presents a strong case. At the Tour Down Under, the Aussie dominated sprints, although subsequent races proved more challenging. Nevertheless, we shouldn't discount this talented sprinter! And speaking of contenders, we must also mention Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech). The amiable German is yet to secure a victory in the jersey of his Israeli team. Could the Kempen region be the stage for his breakthrough triumph?

Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty) has already claimed victory twice this season, establishing himself as one to watch. The Belgian is in peak condition, evident from his recent second-place finish in La Roue Tourangelle and third-place finish in the Bredene Koksijde Classic. Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor) continues to be the standout performer of this season. Despite facing some setbacks in recent weeks, we maintain every confidence in the talented Dutchman.

Additionally, we'd like to highlight the names of Tirreno's "revelation" Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Cofidis), pocket sprinter Simone Consonni (Lidl-Trek), Casper van Uden (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates), and Scandinavian hopeful Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X), based on the provisional list of participants. Unfortunately, veteran Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan Team) will not be competing, as he is not yet fit enough.

Top favorites:Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
Outsiders:Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty), Sam Welsford (BORA-hansgrohe), Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla), Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor) and Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech)
Long shots: Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Cofidis), Simone Consonni (Lidl-Trek), Casper van Uden (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates) and Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X)

The Scheldeprijs will be followed on Wednesday via Sporza and Eurosport. The Belgians will be there from 3 p.m. on VRT 1, Eurosport also switches in around that time.