The Scheldeprijs is a famous bike race that takes place in Flanders, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It starts in a town called Terneuzen in the Netherlands, crosses the Scheldt River, and ends in Schoten in Belgium. Since 2018, the race begins outside Belgium, but before that, it was always held within Belgium. This race is known for being flat and is about 200 kilometers long, making it a good race for sprinters, or fast riders. It's part of the UCI Europe Tour and is classified as a 1.Pro race.
History of the Scheldeprijs
The first Scheldeprijs happened in 1907, making it the oldest bike race in Flanders, even older than the Tour of Flanders. The race didn't happen during the World Wars, but it celebrated its 100th edition in 2012. Marcel Kittel from Germany has won this race five times, more than anyone else. The race has moved its starting point a few times, from Antwerp to Terneuzen, and has had many famous winners, including Eddy Merckx, Rik Van Looy, Mario Cipollini, Freddy Maertens, Roger De Vlaeminck, Erik Zabel, Briek Schotte, Stan Ockers, Georges Ronsse, Mark Cavendish, and Tom Boonen.
Recent winners of Scheldeprijs
2023: Jasper Philipsen (Belgium)
2022: Alexander Kristoff (Norway)
2021: Jasper Philipsen (Belgium)
2020: Caleb Ewan (Australia)
2019: Fabio Jakobsen (Netherlands)
2018: Fabio Jakobsen (Netherlands)
2017: Marcel Kittel (Germany)
2016: Marcel Kittel (Germany)
2015: Alexander Kristoff (Norway)