Mathieu van der Poel has started today's Scheldeprijs, a surprise last-minute addition. The Dutchman has justified this decision with the fact that he wants to keep his race rhythm into Paris-Roubaix which he will be targeting this weekend.
“I am happy to be at the start here. I recovered quite well from Sunday. The Tour of Flanders was a pretty tough race, but I'm in good shape and it's easier to recover," van der Poel told Het Laatste Nieuws. “I'm starting because in the past I found it difficult to keep busy between Flanders and Roubaix. This is an easy way for me to put some tension on my legs. The weather is nice and we are racing a bit on my training roads today. That's nice. There are few races around here and the Scheldeprijs is a race that I really wanted to ride.”
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Taking place right between the two monuments, Scheldeprijs is a highlight of the spring. However not as much for those fighting in the cobbles, but instead the sprinters, as the pan-flat profile provides an opportunity at a high-level race to perform. Over the years it's become one of the most important sprinter classics, within the climax of the spring where many riders carry good form. Alpecin-Deceuninck bring in Jasper Philipsen as one of the main favourites and will try to take the victory.
“Afraid of falls? If you have to be afraid of that, then you should stop racing," van der Poel continues. "If that is the consideration not to start, that would be a great pity. There are always risks, of course, but I shouldn't think about that. We are going for the victory today, but there are still more sprinters who want that," he concluded.
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