Scheldeprijs Women: Charlotte Kool sprints to victory in crash-marred final

Kool celebrates with her arms raised .

Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) sprinted to glory at Scheldeprijs Women, winning the race to break her run of three second places in the last three editions.

The Dutchwoman took advantage of the best lead-out among the leading group of riders, with Millie Couzens and Mylène De Zoete hitting the front before she launched in the final 150 metres.

Kool beat out Nienke Veenhoven (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) to the finish line. The pair were unable to match her finishing speed at the head of the lead group, which was reduced by a massive crash inside the final 2km.

Further back, Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) took fourth place ahead of Chiara Consonni (Canyon-SRAM-Zondacrypto), but up front it was Kool who celebrated, the 26-year-old taking her 23rd professional victory.

"It was about time to win here after all the second places. I'm really happy with it and we had a really good team effort to win," Kool said after her win.

"It was a really big crash. I hope everyone is OK because it sounded really nasty. We were out front and in a perfect moment with the whole team there. Then we did the lead-out as we did in training."

How it unfolded

The break of the day out on the road midway through the stage (Image credit: Getty Images)

The sixth edition of Scheldeprijs Women was run on a 130.3km course, beginning and ending in Schoten. Local laps of 17km length at the finish would fill the latter half of the route, with four passages of a cobbled sector, Broekestraat, the main difficulty of the flat race.

A breakaway of seven riders got away early in the stage, run in dry and sunny conditions. Ilken Seynave (Lotto-Intermarché), Yonna van Dam (Citymesh-Customm), Mari Porton (Handsling Alba), Clara Jäger (LKT Team), Lea Huber (Nexetis), Lucy Gadd, and Leila Gshwentner (Smurfit Westbrook) all made the move.

They'd race on to an advantage of three minutes over the peloton, while two other riders behind – Oda Aune Gissinger (Hitec Products-Fluid Control) and Fariba Hashimi (Vini Fantini-BePink) – attempted to bridge across behind.

The pair didn't make it across, however, and so it wasback to seven attackers vs the peloton with 80km left to run.

At 65km to go, a major crash hit the peloton, with Quinty Ton (Liv-AlUla-Jayco, Daniek Hangeveld (Visma-Lease a Bike), and Febe Jooris (UAE Team ADQ) among those hitting the deck. All riders involved were able to get going again without too much trouble, though.

The peloton tackles the Broekestraat sector of cobbles (Image credit: Getty Images)

Shortly afterwards, several attacks went at the head of the peloton, with Barbara Guarischi (SD Worx-Protime) among those involved in stretching out the group. The result was an early end for the breakaway, which was brought back with 50km to go.

Afterwards, several teams, including Lidl-Trek, SD Worx-Protime, UAE Team ADQ, and AG Insurance-Soudal, took to the front to control the race going forward.

The next major move came with 24km to go, with Marina Garau (Vini Fantini-BePink) going off the front. The Spaniard was caught just before the start of the final lap, though, leaving a full peloton to contest the last 17km.

Lidl-Trek, SD Worx-Protime, Visma-Lease a Bike, Canyon-SRAM-Zondacrpto and Human Powered Health were among the teams battling to position their contenders on the final lap. The jostling for space in the peloton brought with it several crashes, though no major contenders were involved.

The final run over Broekestraat saw SD Worx launch a move as Guarischi launched Femke Gerritse with 8km to go. The Dutchwoman battled on alone for a brief spell, but her effort amounted to nothing with the peloton bringing her back 5.2km from the finish.

From there, it was up to the sprint squads, with Visma-Lease a Bike, Lidl-Trek, and Fenix-Premier Tech taking control heading into the closing 4km.

A huge crash took a large chunk of the peloton out of the running 1.8km from the line, though a group of around 20 – including the top contenders – avoided the carnage at the front and pushed on towards the sprint.

Fenix-Premier Tech had enough riders left to run their lead-out for Kool, and their setup proved the strongest on the final run to the line. Kool launched her sprint from the front, and despite the best efforts of Veenhoven and Balsamo, she wasn't to be denied.

The final dash for the line in Schoten (Image credit: Getty Images)

Results

Pos	Rider (Country) Team	Time
1	Charlotte Kool (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech	3:03:02
2	Nienke Veenhoven (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:00:00
3	Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek	0:00:00
4	Lara Gillespie (Irl) UAE Team ADQ	0:00:00
5	Chiara Consonni (Ita) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto	0:00:00
6	Maria Apolonia van 'T Geloof (Ned) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi	0:00:00
7	Clara Lundmark (Swe) Minimax Cycling Team	0:00:00
8	Gladys Verhulst Wild (Fra) AG Insurance-Soudal	0:00:00
9	Sara Fiorin (Ita) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi	0:00:00
10	Kathrin Schweinberger (Aut) Human Powered Health	0:00:00
11	Katrijn de Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché	0:00:00
12	Marta Lach (Pol) SD Worx-Protime	0:00:00
13	Maggie Coles-Lyster (Can) Human Powered Health	0:00:00
14	Noa Jansen (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco	0:00:00
15	Camilla Rånes Bye (Nor) Minimax Cycling Team	0:00:00
16	Jasmin Liechti (Swi) Nexetis	0:00:00
17	Mia Griffin (Irl) Picnic PostNL	0:00:00
18	Laura Lizette Sander (Est) Hitec Products-Fluid Control	0:00:00
19	Argyro Milaki (Gre) Aromitalia Vaiano	0:00:00
20	Mylene de Zoete (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech	0:00:00
21	Vittoria Grassi (Ita) Vini Fantini - Bepink	0:00:00
22	Gwen Nothum (Lux) Minimax Cycling Team	0:00:04
23	Silvia Zanardi (Ita) Human Powered Health	0:00:08
24	Lea Lin Teutenberg (Ger) Lotto-Intermarché	0:00:08
25	Millie Couzens (GBr) Fenix-Premier Tech	0:00:12
26	Lisa van Belle (Ned) SD Worx-Protime	0:00:17
27	Cristina Tonetti (Ita) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi	0:00:21
28	Marina Garau Roca (Spa) Vini Fantini - Bepink	0:00:23
29	Heidi Antikainen (Fin) Minimax Cycling Team	0:00:23
30	Puck Langenbarg (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech Development Team	0:00:23
31	Annelies Frieda Bart Nijssen (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché	0:00:23
32	Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:00:23
33	Marith Vanhove (Bel) Ag Insurance Soudal Devo Team	0:00:23
34	Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco	0:00:23
35	Yonna van Dam (Ned) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team	0:00:23
36	Ginia Caluori (Swi) Nexetis	0:00:23
37	Isabella Maria Escalera (Spa) O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes	0:00:23
38	Lena Charlotte Reißner (Ger) Lkt-Team	0:00:23
39	Lucie Fityus (Aus) Picnic PostNL	0:00:23
40	Andrea Casagranda (Ita) Vini Fantini - Bepink	0:00:23
41	Arabella Blackburn (GBr) Handsling Alba Development Road Team	0:00:23
42	Senne Knaven (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team	0:00:23
43	Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Bel) Lidl-Trek	0:00:27
44	Ava Holmgren (Can) Lidl-Trek	0:00:27
45	Julia Kopecký (Cze) SD Worx-Protime	0:00:30
46	Imogen Wolff (GBr) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:00:30
47	Margaux Vigie (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:00:33
48	Idoia Eraso Lasa (Spa) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi	0:00:33
49	Katia Ragusa (Ita) Human Powered Health	0:00:33
50	Lani Wittevrongel (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché	0:00:47
51	Jony van den Eijnden (Ned) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team	0:01:08
52	Flora Perkins (GBr) Fenix-Premier Tech	0:01:13
53	Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech	0:01:13
54	Kate Richardson (GBr) Handsling Alba Development Road Team	0:01:13
55	Jule Märkl (Ger) Canyon//Sram Zondacrypto Generation	0:01:13
56	Lucia Brillante Romeo (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano	0:01:13
57	Alena Ivanchenko (Rus) UAE Team ADQ	0:01:13
58	Alma Rasmussen (Den) Hitec Products-Fluid Control	0:01:13
59	Fariba Hashimi AFG Vini Fantini - Bepink	0:01:18
60	Aliyah Rafferty (Irl) Das-Hutchinson	0:01:18
61	Tamara Szalinska (Pol) Mat Atom Deweloper Wrocław	0:01:18
62	Misia Belotti (Ita) Vini Fantini - Bepink	0:01:18
63	Clara Jäger (Ger) Lkt-Team	0:01:18
64	Elisa Tottolo (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano	0:01:18
65	Beth Morrow (GBr) Handsling Alba Development Road Team	0:01:18
66	Daniek Hengeveld (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:01:18
67	Loes Adegeest (Ned) Lidl-Trek	0:01:18
68	Mieke Docx (Bel) Das-Hutchinson	0:01:18
69	Mira Winkelhag (Ger) Lkt-Team	0:01:18
70	Hanna Tserakh (Blr) Aromitalia Vaiano	0:01:21
71	Meike Uiterwijk Winkel (Ned) Das-Hutchinson	0:01:21
72	Irati Aranguren Carbayeda (Spa) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi	0:01:27
73	Wiktoria Pikulik (Pol) Human Powered Health	0:01:27
74	Marie Schreiber (Lux) SD Worx-Protime	0:01:27
75	Martina Fidanza (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:01:27
76	Milana Ushakova (Ukr) Uae Development Team	0:01:41
77	Messane Bräutigam (Ger) Ag Insurance Soudal Devo Team	0:01:55
78	Isabel Mayes (GBr) O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes	0:01:57
79	Nora Tveit (Nor) Hitec Products-Fluid Control	0:01:57
80	April Tacey (GBr) Hitec Products-Fluid Control	0:01:59
81	Maja Tracka (Pol) Mat Atom Deweloper Wrocław	0:02:00
82	Febe Jooris (Bel) UAE Team ADQ	0:02:03
83	Femke Gerritse (Ned) SD Worx-Protime	0:02:03
84	Mari Porton (GBr) Handsling Alba Development Road Team	0:02:14
85	Aidi Gerde Tuisk (Est) Hitec Products-Fluid Control	0:02:17
86	Anina Hutter (Swi) Nexetis	0:02:17
87	Lea Huber (Swi) Nexetis	0:02:17
88	Megan Arens (Ned) Picnic PostNL	0:02:17
89	Aoife O Brien (Irl) Das-Hutchinson	0:02:19
90	Eline van Rooijen (Ned) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team	0:02:29
91	Julie Stockman (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team	0:02:29
92	Jo Tindley (GBr) Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	0:02:30
93	Barbara Guarischi (Ita) SD Worx-Protime	0:02:45
94	Jade Linthoudt (Bel) Minimax Cycling Team	0:02:45
95	Ella Heremans (Bel) Picnic PostNL	0:02:45
96	Ilken Seynave (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché	0:02:45
97	Oda Aune Gissinger (Nor) Hitec Products-Fluid Control	0:03:02
98	Karlijn Koops (Ned) O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes	0:03:26
99	Anya Louw (Aus) AG Insurance-Soudal	0:03:37
100	Nicole Steigenga (Ned) AG Insurance-Soudal	0:03:37
101	Fauve Bastiaenssen (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal	0:03:37
102	Robyn Clay (GBr) Picnic PostNL	0:04:07
103	Emma Jeffers (Irl) Liv AlUla Jayco	0:04:07
104	Nina Kessler (Ned) Nexetis	0:04:07
105	Noëlle Rüetschi (Swi) Nexetis	0:04:07
106	Erja Giulia Bianchi (Ita) Canyon//Sram Zondacrypto Generation	0:04:09
107	Anastasiya Kolesava (Blr) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto	0:04:09
108	Maria Martins (Por) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto	0:04:09
109	Eliza Rabażyńska (Pol) Mat Atom Deweloper Wrocław	0:04:17
110	Hélène Hesters (Bel) Liv AlUla Jayco	0:04:20
111	Georgia Baker (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco	0:04:20
112	Iurani Blanco Calbet (Spa) Human Powered Health	0:05:04
113	Leila Gschwentner (Aut) Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	0:05:04
114	S'annara Grove (RSA) Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	0:05:39
115	Margarita Lopez Llull (Spa) Minimax Cycling Team	0:07:19
DNF	Lucy Gadd (GBr) Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team
DNF	Sophie Lewis (GBr) Das-Hutchinson
DNF	Holly Ramsey (GBr) Handsling Alba Development Road Team
DNF	Leni Bauer (Ger) Lkt-Team
DNF	Seána Littbarski-Gray (Ger) Lkt-Team
DNF	Urszula Sipko (Pol) Mat Atom Deweloper Wrocław
DNF	Martyna Szczęsna (Pol) Mat Atom Deweloper Wrocław
DNF	Elise Timmerman (Ned) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team
DNF	Yuli van der Molen (Ned) O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes
DNF	Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Aus) Lidl-Trek
DNF	Kirstie van Haaften (Ned) Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team
DNF	Alicja Matula (Pol) Mat Atom Deweloper Wrocław
DNF	Virginia Iaccarino (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF	Romina Costantini (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
DNF	Fee Knaven (Ned) Uae Development Team
DNF	Ida Krickau Ketelsen (Den) O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes
DNF	Charlotte Broughton-Kulset (GBr) O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes
DNF	Olivia Schoppe (Ger) Lkt-Team
DNF	Catalina Soto Campos (Chi) Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi
DNF	Rachele Barbieri (Ita) Picnic PostNL
DNF	Mackenzie Coupland (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco
DNF	Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Pol) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto
DNF	Sterre Vervloet (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché
DNS	Cassidy Hickey (USA) Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team
DNS	Clara Copponi (Fra) Lidl-Trek
DNS	Anne van Rooijen (Ned) Das-Hutchinson

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