Hello and welcome to our live coverage from the 2016 edition of Scheldeprijs. 
 

• 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Scheldeprijs start list
• 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Scheldeprijs previous winners
  
• 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Cyclingnews podcast

Between Flanders and Paris-Roubaix we have Scheldepr🦂ijs and we're here on the startline for another dose o﷽f cobbles. 

This is very much the sprinters' race when compared to the Tour of Flanওders☂ and Paris-Roubaix, and that's somewhat reflected in the start list. Still, there are a number of Roubaix specialists on at the start this morning as they hone their form ahead of Sunday's monument. 

The majorꦐity of the peloton have signed on and we have grey skies above with thꦡe threat of rain. The roll out should be made in the next 10 mins with a neutralised zone to follow before the official race start. 

One rider on the start is Tom Boonen. He has won this🌠 race twice, back in 2004 aꦓnd 2006. He's here today to test out his legs after a difficult Tour of Flanders, in which he crashed. Today he may also be working for....

Marcel Kittel who is riding this race for th🦂e first time in Etixx kit. He won this race three times in a row from 2012-2014 and wit♒h Etixx desperate for a win in Belgium they'll be pinning all their hopes on the German sprinter.

Kittel certainly won't have it all his own way todaꦜy though. Defending champion Alexander Kristoff was fourth in Flanders and is clearly in form. The No🌸rwegian may not have hit the heights of 2015 but he's still one of the most dangerous rivals on Kittel's horizon. 

 The riders have now rolled out through the startline and arꦡe riding through the neutralised zone. 

One rider who missed the start was Peter Sagan. 🍸The world champion has gone through a few minutes after the rest of the peloton after being swamped by fans. The Tour of Flanders winner is the man of the moment, with all take centred around whether he can do the doubl🍸e and win Paris - Roubaix this weekend.

The peloton, with Sagan included, are almost done with the neutralized sector of the race. Typically a break goes in the first 30-40km of 𒊎racing but a lot could depend on the conditions out there. If they have a headwind it could take a while for the race to splinter. The race is 207km in total🦹 and we're about to start the first one. 

 André Greipel was impressive during the Tour of Flanders ꦺand it will be interesting to see what he can do in Paris-Roubaix at the weekend. The German s𒐪printer can handle himself in the Classics, not just the sprints, but today is right up his street. 

Mark Cave💮ndish, who like Kittel has won this race on three occasions, is also in the peloton today. The British sprinter is dove-tailing his track ambitions with his road aims this season but you wouldn't bet against him competing for the sprint at the end of today's race - assuming it does finish in a bunch sprint of course. Cavendish is also down to ride Paris-Roubaix at the weekend but today he's got Eisel and Farrar to lead him out. Not a bad combination.

Elia Viviani, not Cavendish's biggest fan after the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:track worlds, is also on the startlist today. The Italian has hit the high notes regularly this season already but a win in this race would be sign𓄧ificant in his palmares. He is backed up by a beefy-looking Sky tea🐈m that includes Rowe, Stannard and the talented neo-pro Moscon.

Wed, 6th Apr 2016 10:40:49

Breaking news. Sagan pulled a whe✤elie at the start this 🧔morning...

... in the actual race, we have a peloton that has split in two after just a couple💙ဣ of kilometres.

194km remaining from 207km

A shade under 195km to go and the peloton are still 🐻split into two large groups. There are no time splits, and no names of the riders in front group. Th🍰ere's every indication that they'll come back together.

It seems you can't go a day without Sagan hitting the headlines, fair enough, consider he creates most of them with his riding but this story is based on his future. Tinkoff are set to end this year and are still searching for a new sponsor. Sagan has one year left on his existing deal but if there's no team then Sagan has to find somewhere else to ride. Here's 🐷the stoꦡry from Stephen Farrand on where Sagan could end up.

In other news Steve Cummings new lease of life at Dimension Data goes on. The British rider is eye up a chance to make the break in Pais Vasco. He already won a fine stage in Tirreno last month. 168💝澳洲5最新开奖结果:Here he talks to Alasdair Fotheringham for C𓆏N.

Another rider in form is Wilco Kelderman. The 25-year-old finished second to Landa yesterday on stage 2 of Pais Vasco, and who knows, maybe he can reach his potential later in the year and ride well at the Tour de France. Here'🌸s what he had to say after yesterday's performance. 

In the race there's bee🥃n a re-forming but we no have five rideꩵrs up the road:

Westra (Astana), Helven ꦰ(Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), De Vries (Roompot) Tronet (Fortuneo), Denz (AG2R) and Kiendys (CCC). No 𝔍time check at this moment in time. 

Also in the news is a story about Lance Armstrong and his 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:ongoing court battles. 

185km remaining from 207km

Back in the race and a𝄹 counter attack of three has been sniffed out. The six leaders, it's up to six now according to race radio, have 23 seconds on the peloton with 185▨km to go.

If you didn't know... we've joined the wonderful world of Instagram. It's what all ꧙the cool kids are doꦰing these days and we're posting some truly great images on there now. !

There's another counter attack from the peloton and this time it's a Wanty rider - Jérôme Baugnies  ꦇ;- who has gone clear. He's riding well and could make contact with the six leaders in the next few minutes. The break of six have a minute on the peloton, so that's probably our break of the day. 

Wed, 6th Apr 2016 11:12:18

Baugnies is starting to suffer. He's a minute down on the leaders, while the main field is drifting out to th🦩ree minutes. 

172km remaining from 207km

A reminder of the leaders on the road - Westra (Astana), Helven (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), De Vries (Roompot) Tronꦛet (Fortuneo),🥃 Denz (AG2R) and Kiendys (CCC).

They have four minutes on the peloton.

Wed, 6th Apr 2016 11:27:56

156km remaining from 207km

Baugnies is dropping back even further and is now just over two minutes down on the leading six,♛ which include De Panne winner Westra. The peloton riding tempo, four minutes back on the leaders. 

Baugnies has been swallowed up by th♏e peloton, so after 50km of racing the break have roughly 3:30 over the chasing peloton.&nbs⭕p;

The peloton ha🍷ve at least started to up their gam💧e, cutting 45 seconds off the break's lead with just over 150km to go.

Interestinglꦑy the wind has started to pick up and that could change the dynamic of the race. If teams like Etixx, who ride ꦑso well in the cross winds, can split the peloton they will try at any opportunity. 

Th🍃e peloton🌺 have eased up again, thus allowing the break to move back out to 4'45. That's the biggest that the gap has been throughout the day. 

137km remaining from 207km

The break continue to hold their lead over the peloton but Katushꦰa, Etixx, and Lotto have move🅠d up towards the front.

Cavendish:

Cavendish's teammate Tyler Farrar had this to sayꦑ about the race, including the slightly new finish.

"I’m interested to see the new finish, I’ve only seen it on paper. I think it looks good. There’s a good chance it will make the sprint safer, the corners will stretch things a little bit more. It was such a long straight and with about 600 metres to go the leadouts would tend to stall up and you’d get a big swarm from behind. So hopefully adding the two turns will string it out enough that that doesn’t happen. I’ve crashed once in one of the ඣbig pile-ups here, it’s often a messy sprint here, so hopefully this cleans it up today.ܫ”

The move from the big teams at the front of the peloton has started to have an effect, ♚and they've shaved of a chunk of time. The gap to the six leaders is down to 3'25.

Kittel:

You can find our complete startlist quotes story, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:right here.

The gap is still holding, around the 3꧅'25 mark. 117km to go in today's race.

A reminder of our six leaders:  Westra (Astana), Helven (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), De Vries (Rooꦑmpot) Tronet (Fortuneo), Denz (AG2R) and Kiendys (CCC).

Wed, 6th Apr 2016 12:33:05

Don't forget that you can download and listen to our latest podcast. It features Peter ꧙Sagan, Lizzie Armitstead, Alexander Kristoff and Greg Van Avermaet. You can download it for free, .

Etixx Quickstep have stepped up and moved nearly all of their team to the front of the peloton. There's always huge press🐼ure on them to perform in these races and win today could kick-start their Classics campaign ahead of Paris-Roubaix. 

 Rain. We knew it was coming, it's been grey all day a൲nd finally the heavens have opened. A few riders are going back for jackets. 

In case you missed it, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:here's our start list for today's race. 

While we're also providing you with live coverage from stage 3 of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. You can follow the a🍸ction, .

95km remaining from 207km

Into the final 100km of the race, and the rain continues to come down. The break have 3'🃏00 on the peloton. 

Interestingly Tinkoff have come to the fr𒁃ont and started to help Etixx set the pace. They're working for Baska today.

The effort from Tinkoff continues with the Russian team keeping up the pressure on the front of the peloton. We're entering the heart of the race with more cobbles and climbs. It's𝐆 unlikely they'll split the field entirely but if they can weaken some of the other sprinters' teams that's what they'll do.

The leaders head through the feedzone with 87km to go. Sagan still has men on the front of the peloton but they've pulled the pace back ever so slightly, al𓂃lowing the break to hold their gap at 2'25.

Although Sagan has men near the front, the world champion is surfing wheels at the back of the peloton with Cancellara - both riders have🎉 their focus firmly on♊ Paris-Roubaix.

Wed, 6th Apr 2016 13:13:43

Wed, 6th Apr 2016 13:13:14

Don't forget you can download ൲the latest Cyclingnews podcast from .

The rain seems to have stopped, relief for the riders in the peloton as they hurtle towards the finish . Up ahead the six leaders continue to share the pace setting d𝓰uties. 90km to go.

The gap๊ is♑ coming down though, the gap at 1'42. 

It's still Tinkoff on the front but they've also been🦋 joined by Team ♉Sky.

Wed, 6th Apr 2016 13:28:50

84km remaining from 207km

Team Sky lead through a couple of tricky corners as they stretch out the peloton. At the back of the bunch Eisel calls fo🐼ꦗr the team car.

Lotto Soudal and Katusha have also moveꦿd up and started to set the pace and position their leaders for the race. 

We're into the final 70km in Pais Vasco. You cᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚan follow the ac🔯tion, .

The peloton have, as they have done for most of the day, the break under control. With 77km to go the ⛦gap is at 2'00 as Boonen, twice a win𒐪ner here, drops back and calls for his Etixx team car.

A few more drops of rain🥀 fall on the break an✅d the peloton but it's nothing too bad at the moment as Astana and Cannondale also pitch up at front with riders to do the work.

Cancellara is coming 𓆉bacꩵk through the cars, and makes contact with the peloton with 70km to go.

Barry Markus (Roompot - Oranje Peloton) was third in the 2013 Scheldeprijs when riding for the Vacansoleil-DCM team. Ev🃏er since his promising first years as a pro the now 24-year-old sprinter failed to live up to the high expectations. His start t𝔉o the 2016 was unlucky: "I'm trying to get back at a good level after breaking my collarbone in the Tour of Qatar. It's not been easy so far [completing only one race]. This is somewhat of an easy race so I hope that I'll be able to ride a good sprint. It's great to be here in a race where you know you cracked the podium already," Markus told Cyclingnews at the start in Antwerp this morning.

Over in France Coquard has 168澳洲5最新开奖结果🅺:won stage 2 in the Ci꧃rcuit Cycliste Sarthe.

We've also this 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:huge gallery o𒈔f bikes and kit from the start this morning. There are disk brakes and deep section wheels.

Matteo Tren🎐tin failed to impress as part of the Etixx-Quickstep team last Sunday at the Tour of Flanders: "I wasn't having a great day in the Ronde. Maybe I didn't r🌟ecover enough from Gent-Wevelgem. Echelons? Hopefully today there's nobody who gets crazy ideas and it'll be an easy day. Then again, mostly it's our team who gets these crazy ideas."

67km remaining from 207km

Back in the race and the g☂ap has dropped to just 1'11 with 67km to ꧂go.

As we head towards the final 50km of racing more and more riders are dropping back to their team cars, dropping off clothing and 𝓡picking up a few more bottles. The last hour is going to be frantic. 

Tinkoff are still doing the majority of the work on the front of the peloton and it's paying off, with the gap under a minutꦯe to the six leaders. 

The pe🀅loton round a number of tight corners and it's Etixx who now☂ lead. This is the first time we've really seen them at the front of the race so far today. Katusha pull alongside them with Kristoff and Kittel almost side-by-side.

It's only a short stay at the front for Etixx, with a number of Katusha 𓂃riders taking over. 57km to go and the gap to the break is 25 seconds.

Meanwhile, Team Sky have announced their Paris-Roubaix team. 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Check out their line-up.

54km remaining from 207km

54km to go and the break have been caught. That's interesting 💫because there's still🐷 a long way to go. Expect counter attacks. 

It's a🍌lmost like the beginning of the race, with the pace liftin⛦g dramatically for a few seconds before slowing. The bunch line out but there's not a single team taking control. 

Dimension Data have brought their sprinter, Mark C🔯avendish to the🦹 front with just over 50km to go. 

Belgian national champion Preben Van Hecke has attacked had he's away with ꦑone more rider. They have 15 seconds as a rider from South East tries to bridge up to them. 

It's Sanz f⛎or South East but he's in a group of one on the road. Brian Van Goethem (Roompot) and Frederik Backaert (Wanty) lead from&nbs꧑p;Preben Van Hecke (Topsport) and Turgot, and then Sanz.

The leading duo have 14 seconds on the chasers, the peloton around another 10 seco🧜nds further back.🥂 Two more riders have joined Sanz.

44km remaining from 207km

If they were one group, rather than three, they might have stood a chance but they're going to burn all their matches riding in pairs. The peloton, still to set up theiꦐr real chase, can just keep the attacks under coဣntrol for now. They're at 41 seconds.

It's Maxime Cam and Nikolay Mihaylov who are with Sanz as up the road Turgot, once on the podium in Roubaix, takes off his top layer. Etixx though have brought him back as they start to up the pace. Eisel, Farrar an🐼d Cavendish are near the front of the peloton.

39km remaining from 207km

Just two riders♈ up the road and they have just 18 seconds on the Etixx led peloton.

The🎃 rain is coming down again and the pace increases in the bunch. They have the leading duo at 15 seconds as Dimension Data position more of their men on the front.

Cannondale are also in the mix, probably as they try and 🗹set up Wouter🦂 Wippert.

Wed, 6th Apr 2016 14:50:19

Ian Stannard pull up with 32km to go. It l🐎ook like his day is done.

Dimension Data continue to set the pace on the front of the peloton. Sagan is right at the front today too, ri♓ding as a teammate rather than a leader as he tows his teammates closer to the head of affairs. 

It's only a matter of time before Etixx organise themselves and hit the front. The likes of Boonen are there, sitting a few wheels back at Dimension Data, Cannondale and Katusha set the pace.&nbꦑsp;

And here they come, three Etixx QuickStep riders move to the front ⭕just as the race comes back together. They've moved Cavendish's men off the front, with Sagan just sitting to one side. 

The pace isn't that hight, we could see more attacks if they continue to ride like this and it's Sagan who takes over at the front with 24km to go💮.

News from Italy... They think Sagan can win Paris-Roubaix. 1🌜68澳洲5最新开奖结果:Story with quotes 🌳from Tafi and co. here.

They're not hanging around now, as Dimension hit the front with Lotto Jumbo also in attendance. 21km to go and Peter Sagan sits up, his work done for the day. He smiles for the cameras as he drifts back through the team cars.⛄ 

20km remaining from 207km

Cofidis move up as well with Etixx and DD waiting in the wings. It's worth ✤pointing out that both Cavendish and Kittel have won this race three times each. A fourth for either rider⛎ would set a new record. 

The peloton cꦆross the line, one circuit remaining for the bunch.

And now Lotto Soudal, who have been qu𝓰iet all day, hit the front with 14km remaining. There are so many strong sprinters in the bunch, a๊s we see Cavendish take a swig from his bottle. He has Guardini on his wheel. 

Cancellara is also present as he📖 drags Bonifazio and T🌄heuns closer to the front.

We've maybe six or seven leadout trains on the front of the peloton. Sagan made the right call in sitting up 10kms ag🧸o.

It's still Cancellara on the front but he's aboutও to pull off and leave his Trek Segafredo teamma🥂tes to it. Fenn now takes over on the front for Viviani. Guardini is there, he could be a man to watch today. 

And with 9.5km to go Farrar grits his teeth and takes over. Cavendish doesn't have too many men left with him though. Etixx make a nice neat line on the other side of the road but Farrar isn't giving them any room. Brave riding🌊 from the American. 

7km remaining from 207km

7km to go and the peloton remain strung out with Cavendish's team still holding court on the front of the bunch.𒁏 This head to head against Kittel could be close but don't rule out Viviani, Kristoff and Greipel. There are so many strong sprinters here.

Most of the peloton have sat up, including Boonen and Cance💖llara. They don't want to get involved in the sprint.

Into the final 5km and every sprinter worth his salt has a man on the front now. SouthEast have moved up, Bora, E🧜tixx, Katusha. 

There's a surge from Cofidis now too. 3km to go.

Not one single team can take controಌl at this point. 

Etixx are trying to get Kittꦗel towards t🐟hey've done it. Cavendish on his wheel. 2km to go.

Farrar is fighting to keep Cavendish in💜 the frame. 1.6km to go.

Two Etixx riders on the front, make that three.

Right han🍸💯d corner and Kittel has Cavendish on his wheel. Greipel there too.

Etixx lead this one out 800m to go.

Kittel, Cavendish and Greipel go head to head.

Greip🔯el wont get there, as Cavendish tries to come around Kittel. This is going to be cl🐷ose.

Kittel takes it from Cavendꦺish by less than half a wheel.

Cavendish did everything right th𒁏ere in term of timing his sprint for the line, he just came up against a stronger sprinter on the day. Kittel takes the win, his fourth here. Etixx win!

1 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step
2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data
3 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal
4 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
5 Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
6 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky
7 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
8 Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling
9 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
10 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept

“The team did a super job to get me in the right position. It was a good fight with Mark,” Kittel said at the finish.

“I said before the race that I'm ♑not here to make history, I'm racing for joy, for pleasure, just riding my bike. It's even better if I could get the record here for the♋ wins in the Scheldeprijs. I like this race. Sometimes it's not easy, like today. You normally always have the best sprinters here, and it's great to win.”

1 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step
2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data
3 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal
4 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
5 Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
6 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky
7 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
8 Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling
9 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
10 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept

If you missed it, here's 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:our report from Pais Vasco.

You can find our report, images, and results for today's Scheldeprijs, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:right here. 

We will be back tomorrow with more live coverage from Pais Vasco𝓰.