| 2021 UCI Europe Tour 2021 UCI ProSeries | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Event poster with previous winner Caleb Ewan | |||||||||||||
| Race details | |||||||||||||
| Dates | 7 April 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Stages | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Distance | 194.2[1] km (120.7 mi) | ||||||||||||
| Winning time | 4h 03' 28" | ||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
The 2021 Scheldeprijs was the 109th edition of the Scheldeprijs road cycling one day race, which was held on 7 April 2021. It was a 1.Pro event on the 2021 UCI Europe Tour and the 2021 UCI ProSeries.[2] The race, which was 194.2 kilometres (120.7 mi) long, started in Terneuzen in the Netherlands and traveled through the windy fields of Zeeland before crossing the border into Belgium and finishing in Schoten on the outskirts of Antwerp.[1]
The Scheldeprijs is known as a race that particularly suits the sprinters as it includes several cobbled roads but no significant climbs. Defending champion Caleb Ewan (Lotto–Soudal) chose not to participate as he chose to rest to be able to participate in all three Grand Tours in 2021. Arnaud Démare would have started, but his team Groupama–FDJ backed out on last instance due to a positive COVID-19 test within the team.[3] As a result, the main pre-race favorites were Sam Bennett (Deceuninck–Quick-Step), Tim Merlier (Alpecin–Fenix), Pascal Ackermann (Bora–Hansgrohe), Giacomo Nizzolo (Team Qhubeka Assos), Cees Bol (Team DSM), Elia Viviani (Cofidis) and previous winner Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates). Three-time winner Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck–Quick-Step) was also taking part, although it was assumed his team would aim for Bennett to win the race.
Following a breakaway by a group of 31 riders, the sprint was won by Jasper Philipsen in a group sprint which included most of the pre-race favorites.[4] This marked the first time in 15 years the race was won by a Belgian rider, when Tom Boonen won the 2006 edition.
- ^ a b "Fast men at the start of the pre-eminent Flemish classic". Scheldeprijs. Flanders Classics. 1 April 2021. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ "Scheldeprijs". UCI. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ "Groupama-FDJ niet in Scheldeprijs na positieve coronatest" [Groupama-FDJ not in Scheldeprijs after positive coronavirus test] (in Dutch). Wielerflits. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
- ^ Fletcher, Patrick (7 April 2021). "Philipsen beats Bennett to win Scheldeprijs". CyclingNews. Retrieved 7 April 2021.