Marcel Kittel won his third consecutive GP Scheldeprijs in Schoten, Belgium, Wednesday. Kittel (Giant-Shimano) left no doubt with a powerful kick in the finale of the 201-kilometer sprinters’ classic, which started in Antwerpen.
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) was second and Danny Von Poppel (Trek Factory Racing) was third.
“I knew that I can go early because we had tailwind there,” said Kittel. “My plan was to go at 250 [meters], 280, early, and I knew I had a punch to the finish line.”
Six riders broke free of the peloton in the opening kilometers and immediately opened a gap of more than a minute. The group, which consisted of Andrea Fedi (Yellow Fluo), Dmitriy Gruzdev (Astana), Luke Rowe (Sky), Ivan Balykin (RusVelo), Alessandro Bazzana (UnitedHealthcare), and Jan Ghyselinck (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), was given the freedom to put in more time on the peloton in the next 50km, topping out at more than five minutes.
The gap began falling around the midway point of the race, and with 70km left it was down to just over two minutes. Giant, Lotto-Belisol, Astana, and Belkin dove the pace at the sharp end of the main field.
With 50km remaining, the escape held an advantage of 2:15.
Rowe stretched his legs, going alone with 6km remaining. With 5km to go, the escape’s gap finally sunk below 30 seconds, with Rowe dangling a further four seconds up the road.
Behind them, Ag2r La Mondiale and Giant took up the chase at the head of the bunch.
Fedi countered the catch of Rowe, but with 3km to go, the escape was finished.
Omega Pharma-Quick Step led out the sprint, but Kittel powered up the left side of the road, jumping off Alessandro Petacchi’s (Omega Pharma) wheel, for a clear victory. Farrar followed through two bikes lengths later, just holding off a surging Van Poppel.
“We know how strong Giant-Shimano is. I think they have the No. 1 leadout team in the world this season. We have a strong team, but not strong enough to go by them,” said Farrar. “There was nothing I could do against Kittel today, so second is good.”
Petacchi finished fourth.
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