2018 Scheldeprijs (HC)
(Grand Prix de l'Escaut), Belgium
106th edition: Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Scheldeprijs podium history | 2017 edition | 2019 edition | Race map | Start list
Terneuzen - Schoten, 200.4 km
Quick-Step's Fabio Jakobsen wins in Schoten. Photo: Photonews
The race: After crossing a railroad track with a red light flashing, 35 riders were disqualified from the race today. Among the expelled were Tony Martin, Arnaud Demare, Roy Curvers, Dylan Groenewegen, Ian Stannard and Christian Knees.
Here's the report from winner Fabio Jakobsen's Quick-Step team.
For the first time in history, Scheldeprijs started from the Netherlands and at the end of the day, after more than four tough hours in the saddle, it was a Dutch rider who took the spoils, as Fabio Jakobsen put in a flawless sprint in Schoten, outkicking Pascal Ackermann (Bora-hansgrohe) and Christopher Lawless (Team Sky), to continue Quick-Step Floors' amazing run this month with a fourth victory in as many days.
"It's really amazing to do such a good sprint and get the win here. It's the biggest victory of my still young career and it gives me even more motivation to work hard and keep growing in order to become one of the best sprinters in the world and fight for stage wins in all three Grand Tours. I couldn't have pulled it off without the incredible support of my teammates, so a massive thanks goes to them", an over the moon Fabio said at the finish.
The 106th edition of Scheldeprijs will easily go down as one of the best in the history, with the crosswinds, heavy rain and low temperatures of Zeeland – the Dutch province in which the peloton spent most of the race – spicing up things and blowing the bunch apart. It took more than an hour for a breakaway to form, and when it did, the five men at the front weren't allowed to establish a threatening gap, as several teams, including Quick-Step Floors, worked to keep them in control and cut the deficit.
Neo-pro Kasper Asgreen impressed at his debut for the World Tour leaders, putting in some mammoth turns at the front and bringing everything back together in the closing kilometers despite crashing earlier in the race, when a couple of attackers tried to apply pressure on the pack after the escapees got reeled in. Once the young Dane peeled off the front, Iljo Keisse and Zdenek Stybar took over the charge, pushing a huge tempo and stretching out the field, before Michael Mørkøv expertly piloted Fabio Jakobsen through the last corner, before opening the door with 200 meters to go.
After starting his sprint, the 21-year-old neo-pro got boxed in, but remarkably bounced back and powered ahead, his rapid acceleration landing him a comfortable win by more than a bike length. For Fabio – the first Dutchman since 2005 to take the honours in Scheldeprijs – this was his second victory of the season, after the one in Nokere Koerse, one month ago.
"I like riding in Flanders and can't say I was bothered by today's conditions. The team was always around me, Iljo and Zdenek rode full gas from two kilometers to go, while all I had to do was sit in Michael's wheel until the last 200 meters", explained Jakobsen, who also stressed out the importance of the Wolfpack spirit: "In this team, we work for each other and always go for the win. We are strong and determined, so when one guy starts winning, we all want to do that. That's one of the things that keep us going."
Complete Results:
200.4 kilometers raced at an average speed of 45.571 km/hr
| 1 | JAKOBSEN Fabio | Quick-Step Floors | 4hr 23min 51sec |
| 2 | ACKERMANN Pascal | Bora-hansgrohe | s.t. |
| 3 | LAWLESS Christopher | Sky | s.t. |
| 4 | DEBUSSCHERE Jens | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 5 | LECROQ Jérémy | Vital Concept | s.t. |
| 6 | WALSCHEID Max | Team Sunweb | s.t. |
| 7 | DUPONT Timothy | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 8 | RICKAERT Jonas | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 9 | WELTEN Bram | Fortuneo-Samsic | s.t. |
| 10 | HALLER Marco | Katusha-Alpecin | s.t. |
| 11 | VERMELTFOORT Coen | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 12 | VANBILSEN Kenneth | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 13 | ZABEL Rick | Katusha-Alpecin | s.t. |
| 14 | TANKINK Bram | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 15 | PELUCCHI Matteo | Bora-hansgrohe | s.t. |
| 16 | WYNANTS Maarten | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 17 | VAN SCHIP Jan-willem | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 18 | FENN Andrew | Aqua Blue Sport | s.t. |
| 19 | PHINNEY Taylor | EF Education First-Drapac | s.t. |
| 20 | BASSO Leonardo | Sky | s.t. |
| 21 | DOUGALL Nick | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 22 | SINKELDAM Ramon | Groupama - FDJ | s.t. |
| 23 | TEUNISSEN Mike | Team Sunweb | s.t. |
| 24 | TLEUBAYEV Ruslan | Astana | s.t. |
| 25 | MORKOV Michael | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 26 | DE BIE Sean | Vérandas Willems-Crelan | s.t. |
| 27 | THOMSON Jay Robert | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 28 | PFINGSTEN Christoph | Bora-hansgrohe | s.t. |
| 29 | SIEBERG Marcel | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 30 | MAES Nikolas | Lotto-Soudal | @ 8sec |
| 31 | VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | 0:13 |
| 32 | WAGNER Robert | LottoNL-Jumbo | 0:15 |
| 33 | WISNIOWSKI Lukasz | Sky | 0:16 |
| 34 | KEISSE Iljo | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 35 | STYBAR Zdenek | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 36 | ANDERSEN Soren Kragh | Team Sunweb | s.t. |
| 37 | VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 38 | VAN GOETHEM Brian | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 39 | ROBEET Ludovic | WB-Veranclassic-Aqua Protect | 0:25 |
| 40 | BAŠKA Erik | Bora-hansgrohe | 0:36 |
| 41 | DIBBEN Jonathan | Sky | 0:45 |
| 42 | BRESCHEL Matti | EF Education First-Drapac | s.t. |
| 43 | VAN EMDEN Jos | LottoNL-Jumbo | 1:07 |
| 44 | ASGREEN Kasper | Quick-Step Floors | 1:27 |
| 45 | GRUZDEV Dmitriy | Astana | 1:28 |
| 46 | HODEG Álvaro José | Quick-Step Floors | 1:44 |
| 47 | WOUTERS Enzo | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 48 | POLITT Nils | Katusha-Alpecin | 1:50 |
| 49 | MORICE Julien | Vital Concept | 2:41 |
| 50 | WÜRTZ SCHMIDT Mads | Katusha-Alpecin | 3:11 |
| 51 | DUCHESNE Antoine | Groupama - FDJ | s.t. |
| 52 | HOFLAND Moreno | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 53 | KITTEL Marcel | Katusha-Alpecin | s.t. |
| 54 | DOULL Owain | Sky | 3:34 |
| 55 | DOCKER Mitchell | EF Education First-Drapac | s.t. |
| 56 | CATAFORD Alexander | UnitedHealthcare | 4:39 |
| 57 | BIERMANS Jenthe | Katusha-Alpecin | 5:11 |
| 58 | SCHWARZMANN Michael | Bora-hansgrohe | 5:14 |
Start list with back numbers, April 4, 2018:
| KATUSHA-ALPECIN | |
| 1 | KITTEL Marcel |
| 2 | BIERMANS Jenthe |
| 3 | HALLER Marco |
| 4 | MARTIN Tony |
| 5 | POLITT Nils |
| 6 | WÜRTZ SCHMIDT Mads |
| 7 | ZABEL Rick |
| BORA-HANSGROHE | |
| 11 | ACKERMANN Pascal |
| 12 | BASKA Erik |
| 13 | KOLAR Michal |
| 14 | PELUCCHI Matteo |
| 15 | PFINGSTEN Christoph |
| 16 | SCHWARZMANN Michael |
| 17 | SELIG Rüdiger |
| QUICK-STEP FLOORS | |
| 21 | JAKOBSEN Fabio |
| 22 | ASGREEN Kasper |
| 23 | HODEG Álvaro José |
| 24 | KEISSE Iljo |
| 25 | MARTINELLI Davide |
| 26 | MORKOV Michael |
| 27 | STYBAR Zdenek |
| LOTTO-SOUDAL | |
| 31 | DEBUSSCHERE Jens |
| 32 | BAK Lars Ytting |
| 33 | MAES Nikolas |
| 34 | HOFLAND Moreno |
| 35 | NAESEN Lawrence |
| 36 | SIEBERG Marcel |
| 37 | WOUTERS Enzo |
| DIMENSION DATA | |
| 41 | BOASSON HAGEN Edvald |
| 42 | VAN ZYL Johann |
| 43 | DOUGALL Nick |
| 44 | GIBBONS Ryan |
| 45 | THOMSON Jay Robert |
| 46 | VENTER Jacobus |
| 47 | VERMOTE Julien |
| LOTTO NL-JUMBO | |
| 51 | GROENEWEGEN Dylan |
| 52 | ROOSEN Timo |
| 53 | TANKINK Bram |
| 54 | JANSEN Amund Grøndahl |
| 55 | VAN EMDEN Jos |
| 56 | WAGNER Robert |
| 57 | WYNANTS Maarten |
| SKY | |
| 61 | BASSO Leonardo |
| 62 | DIBBEN Jonathan |
| 63 | DOULL Owain |
| 64 | KNEES Christian |
| 65 | LAWLESS Christopher |
| 66 | STANNARD Ian |
| 67 | WISNIOWSKI Lukasz |
| TEAM SUNWEB | |
| 71 | BAUHAUS Phil |
| 72 | KRAGH ANDERSEN Søren |
| 73 | CURVERS Roy |
| 74 | HOFSTEDE Lennard |
| 75 | STAMSNIJDER Tom |
| 76 | TEUNISSEN Mike |
| 77 | WALSCHEID Max |
| GROUPAMA-FDJ | |
| 81 | DEMARE Arnaud |
| 82 | CIMOLAI Davide |
| 83 | DUCHESNE Antoine |
| 84 | GUARNIERI Jacopo |
| 85 | KONOVALOVAS Ignatas |
| 86 | LE GAC Olivier |
| 87 | SINKELDAM Ramon |
| ASTANA | |
| 91 | MINALI Riccardo |
| 92 | DE VREESE Laurens |
| 93 | GATTO Oscar |
| 94 | GRUZDEV Dmitriy |
| 95 | HOULE Hugo |
| 96 | KORSAETH Truls Engen |
| 97 | TLEUBAYEV Ruslan |
| EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC | |
| 101 | VAN ASBROECK Tom |
| 102 | BRESCHEL Matti |
| 103 | DOCKER Mitchell |
| 104 | MAGNUSSON Kim |
| 105 | PHINNEY Taylor |
| 106 | SCULLY Thomas |
| AQUA BLUE SPORT | |
| 111 | BLYTHE Adam |
| 112 | ARCHBOLD Shane |
| 114 | DUNNE Conor |
| 115 | FENN Andrew |
| 116 | GATE Aaron |
| 117 | KONING Peter |
| COFIDIS | |
| 121 | VAN STAEYEN Michael |
| 122 | GODON Dorian |
| 124 | SOUPE Geoffrey |
| 125 | TURGIS Jimmy |
| 126 | VAN LERBERGHE Bert |
| 127 | VANBILSEN Kenneth |
| FORTUNEO-SAMSIC | |
| 131 | SVENDGAARD Michael Carbel |
| 132 | BONNAMOUR Franck |
| 133 | DANIEL Maxime |
| 134 | FEILLU Brice |
| 135 | LUNKE Sindre Skjøstad |
| 136 | VACHON Florian |
| 137 | WELTEN Bram |
| ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | |
| 141 | HOLST ENGER Sondre |
| 142 | GOLDSTEIN Roy |
| 143 | PERRY Benjamin |
| 145 | SCHREURS Hamish |
| 146 | WILLIAMS Tyler |
| 147 | YECHEZKEL Aviv |
| ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ | |
| 151 | ARIESEN Tim |
| 153 | REINDERS Elmar |
| 154 | VAN GINNEKEN Sjoerd |
| 155 | VAN GOETHEM Brian |
| 156 | VAN SCHIP Jan Willem |
| 157 | VERMELTFOORT Coen |
| SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE | |
| 161 | CAPIOT Amaury |
| 162 | FARAZIJN Maxime |
| 163 | MENTEN Milan |
| 164 | PLANCKAERT Edward |
| 165 | RICKAERT Jonas |
| 166 | VAN ROOY Kenneth |
| 167 | WARLOP Jordi |
| VERANDA'S WILLEMS-CRELAN | |
| 171 | DE BIE Sean |
| 172 | DE BONDT Dries |
| 173 | DE WITTE Mathias |
| 174 | VAN BREUSSEGEM Elias |
| 175 | KRUOPIS Aidis |
| 176 | LIVYNS Arjen |
| 177 | WAEYTENS Zico |
| VITAL CONCEPT | |
| 181 | BOECKMANS Kris |
| 182 | ERMENAULT Corentin |
| 183 | GAREL Adrien |
| 184 | LAMMERTINK Steven |
| 185 | LECROQ Jérémy |
| 186 | MORICE Julien |
| 187 | VAN GENECHTEN Jonas |
| WANTY–GROUPE GOBERT | |
| 191 | DUPONT Timothy |
| 192 | DEVRIENDT Tom |
| 193 | KREDER Wesley |
| 194 | MCNALLY Mark |
| 195 | VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume |
| 196 | VAN MELSEN Kevin |
| 197 | VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter |
| WB-VERANCLASSIC-AQUA PROTECT | |
| 201 | DEHAES Kenny |
| 202 | DUQUENNOY Jimmy |
| 203 | ROBEET Ludovic |
| 204 | SIX Franklin |
| 205 | SPENGLER Lukas |
| 206 | STASSEN Julien |
| 207 | VANTOMME Maxime |
| CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE | |
| 211 | KUMP Marko |
| 212 | BERNAS Pawel |
| 213 | TRATNIK Jan |
| 214 | PALUTA Michal |
| 215 | KOCH Jonas |
| 216 | KUREK Adrian |
| 217 | STOSZ Patryk |
| UNITEDHEALTHCARE | |
| 221 | ALZATE Carlos |
| 222 | CATAFORD Alexander |
| 223 | EATON Daniel |
| 224 | HEGYVARY Adrian |
| 225 | MARCOTTE Eric |
| 226 | MCCABE Travis |
| 227 | PUTT Tanner |