Kittel in battlefield of Scheldeprijs to first Team Argos-Shimano win
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Photo: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.
In the chaotic final of Wednesday’s hundredth edition of the Scheldeprijs Marcel Kittel showed he was the strongest rider of the pack. The sprinter of Team Argos-Shimano won the Belgian semi-classic by winning the sprint of a thinned peloton.
The peloton was watered down because of some crashes due to heavy rain. The peloton was cracked into at least four groups. At t the front only twenty to twenty-five riders where able to sustain. Kittel had Bert de Backer and Tom Veelers on his side and was able to beat Tyler Farrar and Theo Bos.
“It was a chaotic final,” Kittel said afterwards. “For several reasons. First of course because of the rain, but also because of the fact I got a bit enclosed in the sprint. I was happy that eventually I got free. That was the moment I had to go, even though the line was still far away. Fortunately, I was able to hold on.”
The 23-year old German continued: “I’m very glad that I’ve won. Especially since this is the hundredth edition. And besides that: as a sprinter you want to win the Scheldeprijs at least once in your career.â€
Kittel’s victory is the first since Project 1t4i changed its name to Team Argos-Shimano
Whilst the Track Worlds are ongoing in Melbourne, a rider who once dominated the sprint competition was sprinting in the rain at Scheldeprijs. “It’s not just any sprinter that beats Theo,†said sports director Nico Verhoeven after the finish. “It was almost perfect right up until the very last kilometre. Just one more guy to set Theo up a little bit later would have done it for sure, but owing to the rain this was not the case. But that was how the race went, and other sprinters also had to struggle with this.†Verhoeven also complimented the team as a whole. “It was the first race in this compilation, a good generic race before the races in which our sprinters will ride together again.â€
Theo Bos was satisfied. “For me, this was taking it to the max,†he said after the race. “I was in an ideal position on the bend of the last kilometre. In the two previous times I had ridden the Scheldeprijs it was already over then, so now it was good. I had expected people to be there already but that didn’t happen.†It was there up to Mark Renshaw to pick up the sprint. “Renshaw piloted me perfectly. I saw Tyler coming but I couldn’t catch him. I was already on eleventh gear and couldn’t really pedal faster. But even so, I’m pleased.â€
RESULT
1. Marcel Kittel Argos-Shimano 04:30:52
2. Tyler Farrar Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
3. Theo Bos Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
4. Romain Feillu Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team @ same time
5. Manuel Belletti Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
6. Elia Favilli Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
7. Alexander Porsev Katusha Team @ same time
8. Sébastien Turgot Europcar @ same time
9. Giacomo Nizzolo RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
10. Guillaume Boivin Spidertech Powered By C10 @ same time
12. Andre Greipel Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
56. Jeremy Hunt Sky Procycling @ same time
62. Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling 01:32
130. Tom Boonen Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
