# Scheldeprijs

The Scheldeprijs is a cycling race in Flanders and the Netherlands which starts in Terneuzen, crosses the Scheldt River, and finishes in Schoten. Until 2018 it was held entirely in Belgium. The event, ranked as a 1.Pro race on the UCI ProSeries, features mostly sprinters on its roll of honour, as it is held on all-flat roads over roughly 200 kilometres.
First held in 1907, it is the oldest still-existing cycling event in Flanders, notably six years older than the Tour of Flanders monument race. The race had its only interruptions during both World Wars and celebrated its 100th edition in 2012. German sprinter Marcel Kittel holds the record with five wins.
Since 2021, a women's edition of Scheldeprijs is held on the same day as the men's race, starting and finishing in Schoten, approximately 136 kilometres in distance. Lorena Wiebes won the inaugural edition.

## History

The first Scheldeprijs was organised by the Antwerp branch of the Belgian cycling federation (BWB) on July 8, 1907 – making it the oldest cycling race in Flanders. In its early years it started and ended in Antwerp, finishing at the now demolished Zurenborg velodrome. Later the start moved to Merksem and then Deurne, on the outskirts of Antwerp. In 1996, the start moved back to the centre of Antwerp. The inaugural race in 1907 was won by Frenchman Maurice Léturgie. It would be 46 years before another non-Belgian – Dutchman Hans Dekkers – triumphed in 1953.
From the 1980s until 2009, the race was held in mid-April on the Wednesday following Paris–Roubaix. In 2010, when the Scheldeprijs was purchased by Flanders Classics, the event swapped dates with Gent–Wevelgem and has since been held on the Wednesday between the Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix. It has formerly been known as Scheldeprijs Schoten and Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen. Since 2010, the race is simply known as Scheldeprijs.
Prominent winners include 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. German sprinter Marcel Kittel holds the record for most wins with five victories between 2012 and 2017. Belgian classics specialist Johan Museeuw, who finished second in 1992 and 1997, chose the 2004 event as his final race, saying, "I could have retired after Paris–Roubaix but I felt it important that my last race should be in Belgium. The Scheldeprijs is a great race and I especially love the start on Antwerp's market place."

## Route

The current route, starting with the 2018 edition, rolls out from Terneuzen, then passes through the Western Scheldt Tunnel before racing starts near Ellewoutsdijk. It takes a 129.8 kilometre tour of the islands of Walcheren, North and South Beveland in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands before crossing the border into Belgium, taking three laps on a local circuit and finishing at Churchilllaan in Schoten.
The previous racecourse consisted of one 155 kilometres lap in the countryside of Antwerp province followed by three smaller laps of 15 kilometres in and around Schoten. That route included seven cobbled sections varying between 1300 and 3000 metres. The race had a neutralised start on the banks of the River Schelde in the centre of Antwerp at the Grote Markt outside the City Hall. Racing begins in Schoten, a few kilometres northeast. The finish was outside Schoten town hall.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition was postponed from the spring to 14 October, and a revised route of 10 laps around Schoten planned, remaining entirely in Belgian territory.

## Men's Winners

The following cyclists have won the race:
| Year | Country | Rider | Team |
| 1907 | France | Maurice Leturgie | |
| 1908 | Belgium | Adrien Kranskens | |
| 1909 | Belgium | Raymond Van Parijs | |
| 1910 | Belgium | Florent Luyckx | |
| 1911 | Belgium | Florent Luyckx | |
| 1912 | Belgium | Joseph Van Wetter | |
| 1913 | Belgium | Joseph Van Wetter | |
| 1914 | Belgium | Octave Jacques | |
| 1915- 1918 | No race | No race | No race |
| 1919 | Belgium | Isidoor Mechant | |
| 1920 | Belgium | Victor Lenaers | |
| 1921 | Belgium | René Vermandel | |
| 1922 | Belgium | Florent Vandenbergh | |
| 1923 | Belgium | Emile Thollembeek | |
| 1924 | Belgium | René Vermandel | Alcyon |
| 1925 | Belgium | Karel Van Hassel | |
| 1926 | Belgium | Jef Dervaes | Labor–Dunlop |
| 1927 | Belgium | Georges Ronsse | |
| 1928 | Belgium | Jef Dervaes | |
| 1929 | Belgium | Joseph Wauters | |
| 1930 | Belgium | Denis Verschueren | |
| 1931 | Belgium | Godefried Devoght | |
| 1932 | Belgium | Godefried Devoght | |
| 1933 | Belgium | Jan-Jozef Horemans | |
| 1934 | Belgium | Léon Tommies | Alcyon |
| 1935 | Belgium | Gerard Loncke | |
| 1936 | Belgium | Marcel Van Schil | |
| 1937 | Belgium | Sylvain Grysolle | |
| 1938 | Belgium | Antoine Dignef | |
| 1939 | Belgium | Achiel Buysse | |
| 1940 | No race | No race | No race |
| 1941 | Belgium | Stan Ockers | |
| 1942 | Belgium | Lode Busschops | |
| 1943 | Belgium | Éloi Meulenberg | |
| 1944 | No race | No race | No race |
| 1945 | No race | No race | No race |
| 1946 | Belgium | Stan Ockers | Metropole–Dunlop |
| 1947 | Belgium | René Mertens | |
| 1948 | Belgium | Achiel Buysse | |
| 1949 | Belgium | Roger Decorte | |
| 1950 | Belgium | André Pieters | Ryssel–Wolber |
| 1951 | Belgium | Ernest Sterckx | |
| 1952 | Belgium | Roger Decorte | Alcyon |
| 1953 | Netherlands | Hans Dekkers | |
| 1954 | Belgium | Roger Decock | |
| 1955 | Belgium | Briek Schotte | Alcyon |
| 1956 | Belgium | Rik Van Looy | Faema–Guerra |
| 1957 | Belgium | Rik Van Looy | Faema–Guerra |
| 1958 | Belgium | Raymond Vrancken | |
| 1959 | Belgium | Willy Butzen | |
| 1960 | Belgium | Piet Oellibrandt | Dr. Mann–Dossche Sport |
| 1961 | Belgium | Raymond Vrancken | |
| 1962 | Belgium | Piet Oellibrandt | Theugels–Robur |
| 1963 | Belgium | Piet Oellibrandt | Dr. Mann |
| 1964 | Belgium | Jos Hoevenaers | |
| 1965 | Belgium | Willy Vannitsen | |
| 1966 | Belgium | Joseph Spruyt | |
| 1967 | Belgium | Paul In 't Ven | |
| 1968 | Belgium | Edward Sels | Bic |
| 1969 | Belgium | Walter Godefroot | Flandria–De Clerck–Krüger |
| 1970 | Belgium | Roger De Vlaeminck | Flandria–Mars |
| 1971 | Belgium | Gustaaf Van Roosbroeck | Watney–Avia |
| 1972 | Belgium | Eddy Merckx | Molteni |
| 1973 | Belgium | Freddy Maertens | Flandria–Carpenter–Shimano |
| 1974 | Belgium | Marc Demeyer | Carpenter–Confortluxe–Flandria |
| 1975 | Belgium | Ronald De Witte | Carpenter–Confortluxe–Flandria |
| 1976 | Belgium | Frans Verbeeck | IJsboerke–Colnago |
| 1977 | Belgium | Marc Demeyer | Flandria–Velda–Latina Assicurazioni |
| 1978 | West Germany | Dietrich Thurau | IJsboerke–Gios |
| 1979 | Belgium | Daniel Willems | IJsboerke–Warncke |
| 1980 | Belgium | Ludo Peeters | IJsboerke–Warncke |
| 1981 | Netherlands | Ad Wijnands | TI–Raleigh–Creda |
| 1982 | Belgium | Ludo Schurgers | Masta–Puch |
| 1983 | Belgium | Jan Bogaert | Europ Decor–Dries |
| 1984 | Belgium | Ludo Peeters | Kwantum–Decosol–Yoko |
| 1985 | Netherlands | Adri van der Poel | Kwantum–Decosol–Yoko |
| 1986 | Netherlands | Jean-Paul van Poppel | Skala-Skil |
| 1987 | Belgium | Etienne De Wilde | Sigma |
| 1988 | Netherlands | Jean-Paul van Poppel | Superconfex–Yoko–Opel–Colnago |
| 1989 | Belgium | Jean-Marie Wampers | Panasonic–Isostar–Colnago–Agu |
| 1990 | Netherlands | John Talen | Panasonic–Sportlife |
| 1991 | Italy | Mario Cipollini | Del Tongo |
| 1992 | Belgium | Wilfried Nelissen | Panasonic–Sportlife |
| 1993 | Italy | Mario Cipollini | GB–MG Maglificio |
| 1994 | Belgium | Peter Van Petegem | Trident |
| 1995 | Italy | Rossano Brasi | Polti–Granarolo–Santini |
| 1996 | Belgium | Frank Vandenbroucke | Mapei–GB |
| 1997 | Germany | Erik Zabel | Team Telekom |
| 1998 | Netherlands | Servais Knaven | TVM–Farm Frites |
| 1999 | Netherlands | Jeroen Blijlevens | TVM–Farm Frites |
| 2000 | Italy | Endrio Leoni | Alessio |
| 2001 | Italy | Endrio Leoni | Alessio |
| 2002 | Australia | Robbie McEwen | Lotto–Adecco |
| 2003 | Belgium | Ludovic Capelle | Landbouwkrediet–Colnago |
| 2004 | Belgium | Tom Boonen | Quick-Step–Davitamon |
| 2005 | Netherlands | Thorwald Veneberg | Rabobank |
| 2006 | Belgium | Tom Boonen | Quick-Step–Innergetic |
| 2007 | Great Britain | Mark Cavendish | T-Mobile Team |
| 2008 | Great Britain | Mark Cavendish | Team High Road |
| 2009 | Italy | Alessandro Petacchi | LPR Brakes–Farnese Vini |
| 2010 | United States | Tyler Farrar | Garmin–Transitions |
| 2011 | Great Britain | Mark Cavendish | HTC–Highroad |
| 2012 | Germany | Marcel Kittel | Argos–Shimano |
| 2013 | Germany | Marcel Kittel | Argos–Shimano |
| 2014 | Germany | Marcel Kittel | Giant–Shimano |
| 2015 | Norway | Alexander Kristoff | Team Katusha |
| 2016 | Germany | Marcel Kittel | Etixx–Quick-Step |
| 2017 | Germany | Marcel Kittel | Quick-Step Floors |
| 2018 | Netherlands | Fabio Jakobsen | Quick-Step Floors |
| 2019 | Netherlands | Fabio Jakobsen | Deceuninck–Quick-Step |
| 2020 | Australia | Caleb Ewan | Lotto–Soudal |
| 2021 | Belgium | Jasper Philipsen | Alpecin–Fenix |
| 2022 | Norway | Alexander Kristoff | Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux |
| 2023 | Belgium | Jasper Philipsen | Alpecin–Deceuninck |
| 2024 | Belgium | Tim Merlier | Soudal–Quick-Step |

### Multiple winners

| Wins | Rider | Editions |
| 5 | Marcel Kittel (GER) | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 |
| 3 | Piet Oellibrandt (BEL) | 1960, 1962, 1963 |
| 3 | Mark Cavendish (GBR) | 2007, 2008, 2011 |
| 2 | Florent Luyckx (BEL) | 1910, 1911 |
| 2 | Joseph Van Wetter (BEL) | 1912, 1913 |
| 2 | René Vermandel (BEL) | 1921, 1924 |
| 2 | Godefried De Vocht (BEL) | 1931, 1932 |
| 2 | Achiel Buysse (BEL) | 1939, 1948 |
| 2 | Stan Ockers (BEL) | 1941, 1946 |
| 2 | Rik Van Looy (BEL) | 1956, 1957 |
| 2 | Raymond Vrancken (BEL) | 1958, 1961 |
| 2 | Marc Demeyer (BEL) | 1974, 1977 |
| 2 | Ludo Peeters (BEL) | 1980, 1984 |
| 2 | Jean-Paul van Poppel (NED) | 1986, 1988 |
| 2 | Mario Cipollini (ITA) | 1991, 1993 |
| 2 | Endrio Leoni (ITA) | 2000, 2001 |
| 2 | Tom Boonen (BEL) | 2004, 2006 |
| 2 | Fabio Jakobsen (NED) | 2018, 2019 |
| 2 | Alexander Kristoff (NOR) | 2015, 2022 |
| 2 | Jasper Philipsen (BEL) | 2021, 2023 |

### Wins per country

| Wins | Country |
| 79 | Belgium |
| 11 | Netherlands |
| 7 | Germany (including West Germany) |
| 6 | Italy |
| 3 | Great Britain |
| 2 | Australia Norway |
| 1 | France United States |

## Women's Winners

| Year | Country | Rider | Team |
| 2021 | Netherlands | Lorena Wiebes | Team DSM |
| 2022 | Netherlands | Lorena Wiebes | Team DSM |
| 2023 | Netherlands | Lorena Wiebes | SD Worx |
| 2024 | Netherlands | Lorena Wiebes | Team SD Worx–Protime |

### Wins per country

| Wins | Country |
| 4 | Netherlands |