In 2027, Scheldeprijs will start in Middelburg
On Wednesday 7 April 2027, the Scheldeprijs for the Men Elite will start in Middelburg. Because of the works on the Western Scheldt Tunnel, the start of next year’s unofficial world championship for sprinters will move from Terneuzen to Middelburg. After the classic first half of the race through the province of Zeeland, the peloton will head towards Schoten, the traditional location of the finish. The women’s race will keep its usual start and finish location in Schoten.
Terneuzen and Scheldeprijs have been closely linked since 2018. However, an alternative starting point had to be found for the 2027 edition because of the works on the Western Scheldt Tunnel. Middelburg is now taking on that role, says Nicolas Denys, Head of Road at Flanders Classics: “We are extremely grateful to Middelburg for giving the Scheldeprijs such a warm welcome next year. In this way, we can stay true to the race’s DNA, with a passage through Zeeland that has now become inextricably linked with the Scheldeprijs.”
Jeroen Louws, Alderman for the municipality of Middelburg: “It is of course fantastic that an international cycling classic like the Scheldeprijs is going to set out from the heart of Middelburg next year. An event like this brings top-level sport right to our doorstep. Young and old alike can see the riders, watch the team presentation and enjoy the unique atmosphere at the start. Middelburg also has a strong connection with cycling. We are very much looking forward to welcoming the riders, teams and cycling fans to our city in April.”
“As the Province of Zeeland, we greatly value our long-standing partnership with the Scheldeprijs, which, as it starts in Zeeland, truly lives up to its name,” says Johan Aalberts, Provincial Representative of Zeeland. “I’m pleased that, together, we’ve found a solution for this year’s event in Zeeland. It’s a solution that fits into a long tradition of various different cycling races in our capital, particularly the Giro d’Italia, which we will also be remembering at this Scheldeprijs.”
We are extremely grateful to Middelburg for giving the Scheldeprijs such a warm welcome next year. In this way, we can stay true to the race’s DNA, with a passage through Zeeland that has now become inextricably linked with the Scheldeprijs
Wouter Weylandt Memorial
The Scheldeprijs will start on De Dam, by the monument in memory of Wouter Weylandt. In 2010, the Belgian sprinter claimed a stage victory in the Giro d’Italia, which finished in Middelburg. A year later, he lost his life in a crash during that year’s edition of the same Giro d’Italia race. In 2012, a year after his tragic death, Middelburg unveiled the monument as a lasting tribute to the cyclist. The Scheldeprijs will therefore be starting in a particularly symbolic location.
