De Caluwe Outsprints the Favorites
 The 22nd edition of the Tour of Flanders was held April 10, 1938.
Sylvere Maes (Alcyon), Marcel Kint (Mercier), and 1936 Flanders champion Louis Hardiquest (De Dion) came to the start in Gent as major favorites for the Flanders victory.
A four-rider breakaway marked early kilometers of the 1938 Tour of Flanders. Flanders winner (1934) Gaston Rebry worked hard and joined leaders.
After the climb of the Kruisberg (210 km / 260 km), ten chasers caught the breakaway. Attacks in the final kilometers were answered by all the favorites.
Gaston Rebry (Mercier) led the breakaway into Wetteren at high speed. 25-year-old Belgian sprinter Edgard De Caluwe (Dilecta) attacked with 500 meters to go with Sylvere Maes (Alcyon) and Marcel Kint (Mercier) holding tight to his wheel.
In the intense sprint finish De Caluwe held on to the lead and edged out Maes and Kint in the final meters. Belgian Edgard De Caluwe (Dilecta) gained the prestigious Tour of Flanders victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: The high dropout rate, only 29 finishers of the 182 starters, reflected the challenging steep climbs in the Flemish Ardennes and difficult Belgian spring weather.
Flanders April 10, 1938 |
260 Km, Gent to Wetteren |
1. Edgard DE CALUWE (Bel)
7h42'00" |
2. Sylvere Maes (Bel) |
3. Marcel Kint (Bel) |
Starters: 182 |
Finishers: 29 |
Average Speed: 33.766 km/h |
|
RVV 1937  RVV 1939
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