As it happened: Merlier outsprints Philipsen to take Scheldeprijs victory

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2024 Scheldeprijs!

This year's race is looking like it possibly could be a two horse race as the two on form big name Belgian sprinters of Alpecin-Deceuninck's Jasper Philipsen and Sodal-QuickStep's Tim Merlier are both present. 

There are a few other riders who have a realistic chance of winning in a bunch dash to the line, though. They are Jayco-AlUla's Dylan Groenewegen, Tudor's Arvid De Kleijn, Bora-Hansgrohe's Sam Welsford and Danny van Poppel, Intermarche-Wanty's Gerben Thijssen and UAE Team Emirates' Juan Sebastian Molano.

The rider with the most wins in this race is the now retired big German, Marcel Kittel. He took five victories in Schoten between the years of 2012 and 2017. 

Only one active rider is in the top 10 for most wins and he sits in second on three wins and that is, unsurprisingly, the Manx Missile himself, Mark Cavendish. Unfortunately, due to his persistent illness, Cav will not be racing today and will return to action for Astana later this month at the Presidential Tour of Turkey followed by the Tour of Hungary in May.

With 20 minutes until the official start, why not have a read of some of the articles on our website? Just click the links below...

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The temperature is a pleasant 13 degrees centigrade (55 Fahrenheit) with a 28kph (17mph) wind coming from the south, this means that there is a moderate crosswind for the vast majority of the race. 

205.3km to go

The riders are racing! Sign on and the neutral are complete and the racing is underway. 

One rider who was set to ride but isn't is Florian Sénéchal of Arkéa - B&B Hotels.

200km to go

First 5km are done and no break has formed. The usual battle to form the break has started with the pace up at 45kph. 

Five riders get a gap with one chaser: 

Liam Slock (Lotto-DSTNY)
Tord Gudmestad (Uno-X Mobility)
Mirko Bozzolo (Q36.5)
Bram Dissel (BEAT)
Peder Dahl Strand (Tarteletto-Isorex)

Chase +20":

Jonas Goeman (Tarteletto-Isorex)

Peloton +1'10"

190km to go

Tarteletto-Isorex's Jonas Goeman has been caught by the peloton as the gap is at +1'22" between the break and the peloton. 

Crash!

Arne Marit (Intermarche-Wanty)
Gerben Thijssen (Intermarche-Wanty)

That crash has seen Thijssen, one of the pre-race favourites, abandon the race. 

That crash meant a split in the peloton was formed and the pace has shot up to 48kph.

The peloton are now just +40" back on the break with the second peloton at +58" on the break. 

183km to go. 

180km to go

The wind is up and echelons are forming! The peloton is split into three groups and the break's gap is disintegrating.  

The break is caught as the race is split into five groups. 

170km to go

Two groups come together at the front with around 50 riders at the front of the race now. The average speed is up at 50kph. 

More groups are getting back in as the pressure isn't as high and the wind isn't causing as much of a problem. 

One big name rider is caught out in the split at the moment. 

Sam Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe)  

He is about +34" back on the front of the race. 

Another abandon:

Jonathan Guatibonza (UAE Team Emirates)

Th young Colombian was caught out of the back and ma have also been involved in a crash. 

Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe) losing more time here as the gap goes up to almost a minute. 

160km to go

Into the final 100 miles and the race is all together again. 

Edward Theuns (Lidl-Trek) is another sprinter who has been caught out in these splits as he is back with Sam Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe). 

Welsford hasn't taken a win since his amazing start to the season where he took three wins at his home race of the Santos Tour Down Under. 

Another abandon:

Arne Marit (Intermarche-Wanty)

He joins his fellow teammate, Gerben Thijssen, on the DNF list after the two sprinters crashed just before the echelons started. A big blow for the Belgian team who will now have to focus on Estonian youngster, Madis Mihkels. 

More abandons:

Toon Clynhens (Flanders-Baloise)
Baptiste Vadic (TotalEnergies)
Peder Dahl Strand (Tarteletto-Isorex) 

150km to go

The peloton are still riding hard as Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Theuns (Lidl-Trek) are +1'12" down. 

The pace drops out of the front of the race and it is all back together again with 144km to go. A big sigh of relief for Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Theuns (Lidl-Trek), but have they burnt any matches in the chase?

140km to go

The race isn't too far from crossing the border from the Netherlands into Belgium. 

Our other live page today is the third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country. You can follow along with that stage by clicking the link below...

>>> Itzulia Basque Country stage 3 live - bunch sprint versus a breakaway? 

130km to go

Into Belgium they go for the first time in this race after starting in the Netherlands. 

If Dutch leadout and sprinting talent, Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe), took the win today he would not be the first rider in his family to take it as his father, Jean-Paul van Poppel, has two wins to his name (1986/1988). 

Adrie van der Poel and Erik Zabel are two other riders who's sons could replicate their achievement in the future. 

Rick Zabel is racing for Israel-Premier Tech whereas, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is having a rest after his Tour of Flanders success. 

120km to go

There are still 55km until the riders get to the first cobbled section of the Sint Jobsesteenweg. 

The average speed s slowly dropping and is currently at 48kph. The whole peloton is together after all the hectic racing in the wind earlier today. Things have really calmed down. 

110km to go

Almost two hours in and the race has covered 95km of the race. 

This is the 112th running of the men's Scheldeprijs. The longest running one-day race in Flanders. 

100km to go

The average speed dips under 48kph. The pace has gone and the action has too. 

Bizarrely, the race has failed to communicate that there is, in fact, a five man break up the road!

Baptiste Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty)
Liam Slock (Lotto-DSTNY)
Vincent Van Hemelen (Flanders-Baloise)
Axel Huens (TDT-Unibet)
Stijn Appel (Beat)

Peloton +3'25"

90km to go

It is apparently raining at the finish. 

Soudal-QuickStep, Bora-Hansgrohe and Alpecin-Deceuninck are doing the work at the front of the peloton. 

80km to go

The break has a gap of +2'02" on the peloton. 

70km to go

The gap is coming down for the break back to the peloton. It is now sitting at +1'55" as Michael Vink (UAE Team Emirates) just riding off the course and back to the team buses as he is yet another abandon. 

Arvid De Kleijn (Tudor) goes very wide on a corner. Looked like a potential puncture but he rides himself back into the peloton so maybe just a mistake. 

60km to go

The first cobbled section, the Sint Jobsesteenweg, has been ridden and now they head to the laps and the four passages of the Broekstraat cobbles. The gap to the break is now at +1'51".

Onto the Broekstraat cobbled section now for the first of four times. 

50km to go

The riders cross the finish line for the first time with three laps to go and a gap of +1'21".

The cobbles are damp but the sun has just popped out. 

40km to go

Back onto the Broekstraat once again. The race is going at a good pace now as the cobbles are coming around very quickly. Just +56" between the peloton and the break. 

Rather odd moment for Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) as he is having an issue with his helmet strap. He's out of the back for the moment, perhaps to get a new helmet from the car. No teammates with him. 

Philipsen gets rid of his last jacket and his arm warmers as he is simply getting ready for the finale of the race. No issues. Back in the peloton. 

Over the finish line for the second time. Two laps to go. 35km to go. +32" gap between the break and the peloton. 

Bora-Hansgrohe, Lidl-Trek, Alpecin-Deceuninck, Soudal-QuickStep and Uno-X Mobility on the front of the pack. 

Axel Huens (TDT-Unibet) sits up from the break. 

30km to go

Attack in break:

Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty)
Slock (Lotto-DSTNY)

They have about +10" on the chase:

Van Hemelen (Flanders-Baloise)
Appel (Beat)

Peloton +33"

All kinds of drama in the Tour of the Basque Country involving yellow jersey Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe)... To find out what, click the link below to our other live page on CyclingNews...

>>> Itzulia Basque Country stage 3 live - bunch sprint versus a breakaway? 

Onto the Broekstraat for the penultimate time. Slock (Lotto-DSTNY) and Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty) have a gap of +37" on the peloton as DSM-Firmenich-PostNL now join the teams on the front for Casper van Uden. 

Van Hemelen (Flanders-Baloise) and Appel (Beat) are still in no-mans-land in between the leaders and the break. 

Attack from peloton:

Ward Vanhoof (Flanders-Baloise)

He joins Van Hemelen (Flanders-Baloise) and Appel (Beat) to try and keep the second break going. However, they are now caught. 

20km to go

Break: 

Baptiste Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty)
Liam Slock (Lotto-DSTNY)

Peloton +22"

One lap to go in the 112th Scheldeprijs! Slock (Lotto-DSTNY) and Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty) have a gap of just +19". 

Slock (Lotto-DSTNY) goes solo with 15km to go as Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty) can give no more and sits up. 

Mechanical/Bike change:

Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep)

This will now be a frantic chase for Merlier. Can he possibly make it back to the front of the peloton with 13km to go. 

10km to go

Liam Slock (Lotto-DSTNY) still leads, He's said to have +24" on the peloton. 

Lidl-Trek, Alpecin-Deceuninck, Astana, Bora-Hansgrohe, UAE Team Emirates and Jayco-AlUla are on the front of the peloton. 

Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) gets back onto the peloton again. 

Onto the Broekstraat for the final time and that is Slock (Lotto-DSTNY) caught. Brilliant ride by him. Astana, Lidl-Trek, Bora-Hansgrohe and Jayco-AlUla lead. 

5km to go

Lots of leadout trains are trying to form as Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) is struggling to stay with his team. 

Soudal-QuickStep now up alongside Alpecin-Deceuninck. That is a very good recovery by Merlier and his squad. 

4km to go and Tudor surge through the middle of the bunch with Arvid De Kleijn sat on the wheel of Matteo Trentin. Lidl-Trek battling with them for full control. 

3km to go. Soudal-QuickStep appear at the front as well as Bora-Hansgrohe. They now start to set up Merlier and Welsford but Lidl-Trek and Alpecin-Deceuninck win the battle as they turn away from the river Schelde. 

Interestingly, Kaden Groves on the front for Alpecin-Deceuninck. 

2km to go. Lidl-Trek back on front for Edward Theuns. DSM-Firmenich-PostNL are very well placed. Cees Bol being placed by his main man Gleb Syritsa of Astana but they are a little exposed. 

Flamme Rouge

DSM-Firmenich-PostNL and Alpecin-Deceuninck hit the front.

Big crash at the back of the peloton. 

500 metres to go and this is a very messy leadout as multiple teams are pushing and shoving riders all over the road. 

Tim Merlier wins Scheldeprijs 2024 in a frantic finale.

Top 10:

1. Tim Merlier (BEL) Soudal-QuickStep 4:16'59"
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Deceuninck
3. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jayco-AlUla
4. Cees Bol (NED) Astana Qazaqstan
5. Hugo Hofstetter (FRA) Israel-Premier Tech
6. Søren Wærenskjold (NOR) Uno-X Mobility
7. Sam Welsford (AUS) Bora-Hansgrohe
8. Matteo Moschetti (ITA) Q36.5
9. Madis Mihkels (EST) Intermarche-Wanty
10. Matteo Trentin (ITA) Tudor, all S.T.

Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) launched early and got a really good gap. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) looked the fastest yet again, but he was poorly placed into the final moments of the race. Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) did well to sprint to third. 

And as the champagne corks are popped, that brings our live updates of the 2024 Scheldeprijs to a close. 

We have plenty more races to come with the rest of the Tour of the Basque Country this week. Not to mention both the women's and men's Paris-Roubaix races on the weekend. 

Next week we also have Brabantse Pijl and plenty more as we build to the Ardennes and, of course, the Giro d'Italia. 

In the meantime, why not read our Scheldeprijs race report by clicking the link below...

Thank you for following, have a lovely rest of your Wednesday.

>>> Tim Merlier nets Soudal-QuickStep the victory at Scheldeprijs