Mass crash shakes women’s Scheldeprijs race in Belgium

A mass crash occurred during the one-day women’s Scheldeprijs race in Belgium, just two kilometres from the finish line near the town of Schoten.

According to Caliber.Az, citing foreign media, the peloton was riding tightly when one cyclist fell on the left side of the road, triggering a chain reaction that brought down around 15 riders. Several cyclists sustained injuries in the incident.

Dutch rider Charlotte Kool of the Fenix-Premier Tech team avoided the crash and claimed victory, having been at the front of the peloton. Fellow Dutch cyclist Nienke Veenhoven finished second, while Italian rider Elisa Balsamo took third place.

The Scheldeprijs is one of the oldest classic cycling races in the world, first held in 1907 for men. The women’s edition was introduced in 2021 and takes place on the same day as the men’s race. The 130.3 km course runs across flat terrain and includes several cobbled sections.