After the 2026 Tour of Flanders, once again dominated by Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG), the Grand Prix de l'Escaut (Scheldeprijs) may not seem quite as impressive. It is, however, still a Belgian classic (Dutch-Belgian, in fact), as the race was created six years before the Tour of Flanders and is now in its 114th edition!

Since 2018, it has taken place between Terneuzen in the Netherlands, in the province of Zeeland, and Schoten in Belgium. This 114th edition will cover a total distance of 205.2 km, almost entirely on flat terrain, with one cobbled section before the final circuit and another within the final circuit, which will be ridden four times. The course is almost identical to last year’s and is just 2.4 km longer.

Viewed in a way as the World Sprint Championship, it will undoubtedly be a sprinter who wins the race this Wednesday, April 8!

In this article, you’ll find detailed information on the 2026 Grand Prix de l’Escaut (Scheldeprijs) route, on an OpenStreetMap map that’s also available for download in Google Earth, the race profile, the schedule, and the list of riders competing in this race.

The map of the 2026 Grand Prix de l'Escaut is even better in the app!

Below you’ll find the race map, of course, but if you really want to dive into this map ... it’s even better in the velowire app! And as usual, it was available there before being published here!

Whether you’re heading to the event — whether as part of one of the participating teams, as part of the organization or one of its partners, or simply as a cycling enthusiast lining the route — or if you just want to explore the 2026 Grand Prix de l’Escaut map in a different way, velowire invites you to explore it in the Maps section of the velowire app for added convenience. That way, you’ll always have it with you, and as a little bonus: you can view it in full-screen mode, and if you’re traveling to the event, display your location on the map and move the map along with you, making it easier than ever to get there!

So don’t wait any longer—join the hundreds of users of the app by downloading the velowire app from the app stores:
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The 2026 Grand Prix de l’Escaut route on an OpenStreetMap map

The route of the 2026 Scheldt Grand Prix has only been slightly altered compared to last year’s, in one small detail.

Starting the race in Terneuzen, the riders will first enter a long tunnel, the Westerscheldetunnel (Western Scheldt Tunnel), the longest road tunnel in the Netherlands.

Once out of the tunnel, they will then ride through the province of Zeeland, specifically the Walcheren peninsula, passing through Goes, Krabbendijke, Rilland, and Woensdrecht before crossing the border into Belgium and heading toward Essen, Kalmthout, Wuustwezel, Hoogstraten, and Brecht, then on to the final circuit!

Before reaching it, they will quickly pass through a first cobbled section, 500 meters long, on the Sint Jobsesteenweg. On the final circuit, they will encounter the Broekstraat cobbled section, which they will have to ride four times. If the peloton hasn’t come together by then, there’s a good chance it will during these laps, and the finish in Schoten will come down to a sprint. So, who will succeed Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), a two-time winner ahead of Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech)? Perhaps Merlier himself again, as barring a last-minute surprise, he will be at the start!

Below you will find the route schedule, the OpenStreetMap map, and the profile of the 2026 Grand Prix de l’Escaut. Click on the various images to open them.

The route of the 2026 Grand Prix de l'Escaut in Google Earth

If you prefer to view the 2026 Grand Prix de l'Escaut route in Google Earth—for example, to take a virtual tour of the route—I invite you to download it into Google Earth by clicking the following link:

>> Download the 2026 Grand Prix de l'Escaut route in Google Earth (KML file)

The 2026 Grand Prix de l'Escaut start list

Unsurprisingly, there are many sprinters on the entry list for the 2026 Grand Prix de l'Escaut, including defending champion Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), as well as riders such as Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Milan Fretin (Cofidis), Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets), Steffen De Schuyteneer (Lotto Intermarché), Matteo Moschetti (Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), and Hugo Hoffstetter (NSN Cycling Team), to name just a few!

>> List of starters for the 2026 Grand Prix de l'Escaut

The results of the 2026 Grand Prix de l'Escaut

>> Visit the 2026 Grand Prix de l'Escaut page in the UCI cycling calendar to find the race results late Wednesday afternoon!

door Thomas Vergouwen
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this publication is published in: Classics | OpenStreetMap/Google Maps/Google Earth

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