Between Flanders and Roubaix
The two most important cobbled classics in the world, Ronde Van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix, take place on two consecutive Sundays in spring. While all eyes in the cycling world are focused on these two races, midweek sees the Scheldeprijs, a race that, despite including four passages over the cobbled section of Broekstraat, is essentially a race for sprinters.
Route
The race covers a total distance of 205 kilometers, entirely flat, with just 350 meters of positive elevation gain. The final circuit, which cyclists must complete four times, includes the cobbled sector of Broekstraat, which, however, has not been sufficient to break the peloton in previous editions of the race.
Favorites
As expected, the start list is full of sprinters. Jasper Philipsen (1200), Tim Merlier (800), Dylan Groenewegen (800), Danny Van Poppel (600), Mark Cavendish (600), Juan Sebastian Molano (600), Arvid de Klein (400), Gerben Thijssen (400), Sam Welsford (400), Luca Mozzato (400), Kaden Groves (1000), Simone Consonni (400), Soren Waerenskjold (400), Edward Theuns (400), Hugo Hofstetter (400), Arne Marit (200), Casper Van Uden (200), Matteo Moschetti (200), or Timothy Dupont (200) are some of the fastest men who will be present.
Photo: © Flanders Classics