Grote Scheldeprijs

Infobox Cycling race
name = Grote Scheldeprijs


date = Mid April
region = Antwerp, Belgium
english = Grand Prix of the Schelde
localnames = Grote Scheldeprijsnl icon
Grand Prix de l'Escaut fr icon
nickname =
discipline = Road race
competition = UCI Europe Tour
type = Single-day
organiser =
director =
first = 1907
number = 97 (as of 2008)
last =
firstwinner = flagicon|FRA Maurice Leturgie
mostwins = flagicon|BEL Piet Oellibrandt
mostrecent = flagicon|GBR Mark CavendishThe Grote Scheldeprijs is a Belgian semi classic cycling race which starts in Antwerp and finishes in Schoten. The event, ranked at 1.HC on the UCI European calendar, is seen as a race for sprinters, held on flat roads over roughly 200 kilometres. The race is one circuit of 155 kilometres into the countryside of Antwerp province followed by three circuits of 15 kilometres based on Schoten. The route includes seven cobbled sections varying between 1300 and 3000 metres. The race takes place in mid-April on the Wednesday following Paris-Roubaix. It has formerly been known as the Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen and by its French name of Grand Prix de l'Escaut.

The race has 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 north east. The finish is outside Schoten town hall.

The first Scheldeprijs was organised by the Antwerp branch of the Belgium Cycling Society (BWB) on July 8 1907 making it the oldest cycle race in Flanders. In its early years it started and finished in Antwerp, concluding at the now demolished Zurenborg velodrome. Later the start moved to Merksem and then Deurne, both satellite towns of Antwerp. In 1996 the start moved back to the centre of Antwerp. The first race in 1907 was won by the Frenchman Maurice Leturgie. It would be 46 years before another non-Belgian (Dutchman Hans Dekkers in 1953) triumphed. Since 1978 the nationality of the race winner has become more diversified.

Only the World Wars interrupted the event. The Scheldeprijs celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2007.

Prominent winners include Eddy Merckx, Rik van Looy, Mario Cipollini, Freddy Maertens, Roger De Vlaeminck, Erik Zabel, Briek Schotte, Stan Ockers, Georges Ronsse and Tom Boonen. The Belgian Piet Oellibrandt holds a record three victories in the early 1960s. 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 in Antwerp market place.”

Winners

External links

* [http://www.scheldeprijs.be/ Official site]