News: Scheldeprijs Women’s Race

On Wednesday April 7th, the very first Scheldeprijs for women will be on the road and among the teams competing will be Drops Lecol taking on six of the best WorldTour squad riders including sprint star Hannah Barnes

News: Scheldeprijs Women’s Race

On Wednesday April 7th the very first Scheldeprijs for women will be on the program. Not only is Flanders Classics proud that the list of six spring classics is now complete, the brand new race is also enthusiastically received within the women’s peloton. No less than 6 UCI Women’s World Teams are present for the first Scheldeprijs for women, with start and finish in Schoten.

When Flanders Classics and KPMG, presenting partner of Flanders Classics Women, presented their multi-year plan for women’s cycling last year, the development of a Scheldeprijs for women was high on the agenda. “We are extremely proud that the very first Scheldeprijs for women is now a fact,” says Flanders Classics CEO Tomas Van Den Spiegel. “Until last year, it was still our goal to complete our ranks of spring classics with that one race that was still missing, but now we are enthusiastically taking that step. It’s great to see that the women’s peloton is receiving the race with open arms.”

Now that Schoten, in addition to the finish of the men’s race, will also be the setting for both the start and finish of the women’s race, the Antwerp municipality will be the epicentre of the Scheldeprijs. The women’s teams will bring their fastest riders to take part in their first ever unofficial world championships for sprinters on the Churchilllaan.

No less than 6 UCI Women’s WorldTeams are eager to be part of this piece of history in women’s cycling. Movistar Team Women, which welcomed Annemiek van Vleuten this season, and Team DSM, the team of the fast Lorena Wiebes, are already at the start. Ale’ BTC Ljubljana and Canyon//SRAM Racing, the team of sprint star Hannah Barnes, will also be present. Team BikeExchange and Trek-Segafredo, as of this season the new home of Chloe Hosking, are also present. They are challenged by the following 5 Belgian Continental teams: Bingoal Casino – Chevalmeire, Lotto Soudal Ladies, Doltcini – Van Eyck – Proximus Continental Team, Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team and Ciclismo Mundial, the team that unites the top of cyclo-cross at the start.

The first Scheldeprijs for women can also count on the presence of NXTG Racing, Drops – Le Col supported by Tempur, Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano and Valcar – Travel & Service, the team of Elisa Balsamo. Parkhotel Valkenburg, Bepink, Bizkaia – Durango, Team Rupelcleaning – Champion Lubricants and Ceratizit – WNT Pro Cycling Team, the team of sprinters Wild and Brennauer, are also present.

Finally, the list of participating teams is completed: A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team, Andy Schleck – CP NVST – Immo Losch, Arkéa Pro Cycling Team, Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team, GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling, Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria, Massi Tactic Women Team and Lviv Cycling Team.

With the above list of teams, the Scheldeprijs on 7 April can already count on a good field of participants in the first women’s edition. Which riders will be at the start in Schoten will be announced at a later date.