Sinkeldam wins Binche-Chimay-Binche

Ramon Sinkeldam (Giant-Alpecin)

Ramon Sinkeldam (Giant-Alpecin) (Image credit: Bert Geerts/dcp-bertgeerts@xs4all.nl)

Ramon Sinkeldam (Giant-Alpecin) made a surprise attack with roughly 800 metres to go, catching the main field off guard ahead of the bunch sprint, to take the victory at Binche-Chimay-Binche on Tuesday. He held off a chase from Pim Ligthart (Lotto-Soudal), who ended up in second place ahead of the bunch sprint won by Tom Van Asbroeck (LottoNL-Jumbo) for third.

"We were well represented in the group in front in the finale, and the team did a great job to get me in a good position," Sinkeldam said. "Roy brought me into a good position on the final climb, and we didn't race full gas on the climb so I was able to make a strong attack and eventually that was enough to win.

"I was actually not sure if I was racing for the win or if there was someone in front, and I didn't know what was happening behind me on the hard cobblestones. So it was exciting until the end.

"I didn’t expect to win today, because I didn't feel great during the race, so it's extra special to add this victory to my palmarès at the end of the season."

The 2015 Binche-Chimay-Binche, also known as Memorial Frank Vandenbroucke, offered the field a semi-classic held on a 195km course through Wallonia, Belgium.

Niki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep) was the solo leader of the race with 10km to go, and it looked as though he might be able to hang on for the win. He broke away from a lead group of eight riders that also included his teammate Nikolas Maes, Jurgen Roelandts and Ligthart (Lotto-Soudal) and Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff-Saxo). He held a gap of roughly 45 seconds with 30km to go, but that advantage was drastically reduced as the race approached the finish.

The peloton, hungry for a small bunch sprint was only a few seconds behind both Terpstra and the chase group, with five kilometres to go, and it was clear that the breakaway riders' efforts were all for not.

Ligthart put in a big dig to catch Terpstra, and counter attacks then came from Roelandts and Maes. Roelandts made one last attack in a time-trial move to the finish line, however, they were all caught with roughly two kilometres to go.

As the field hit the cobbles, teams organised their riders in pursuit of a bunch sprint victory. It was a small field and attacks continued on the road to the finish. An attack from Sinkeldam came out of the bunch with about 800 metres to go, and he held off the chasing Ligthart, along the rest of the field, to take the win.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant - Alpecin4:24:24
2Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal0:00:02
3Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo0:00:04
4Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 3 - Cell 2
5Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 4 - Cell 2
6Gaëtan Bille (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 6 - Cell 2
8Ludwig De Winter (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 7 - Cell 2
9Olivier Pardini (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant - AlpecinRow 9 - Cell 2
11Jetse Bol (Ned) Cyclingteam Join's - De RijkeRow 10 - Cell 2
12Wouter Mol (Ned) Cyclingteam Join's - De RijkeRow 11 - Cell 2
13Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 12 - Cell 2
14Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 13 - Cell 2
15Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 14 - Cell 2
16Nikolas Maes (Bel) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 15 - Cell 2
17Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Team Roompot Oranje PelotonRow 16 - Cell 2
18Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:00:08
19Boris Vallée (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 18 - Cell 2
20Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant - Alpecin0:00:09
21Louis Verhelst (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits0:00:11
22Marco Marcato (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:00:20
23Gert Jõeäär (Est) Cofidis, Solutions CréditsRow 22 - Cell 2
24Olivier Chevalier (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 23 - Cell 2
25Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace0:00:35
26Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 25 - Cell 2
27Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 26 - Cell 2
28Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 27 - Cell 2
29Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:00:42
30Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 29 - Cell 2
31Christophe Premont (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling Team0:00:49
32Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo0:00:55
33Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 32 - Cell 2
34Dries De Bondt (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling Team0:01:09
35Rayane Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CréditsRow 34 - Cell 2
36Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant - Alpecin0:01:10
37Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo0:01:24
38Niki Terpstra (Ned) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 37 - Cell 2
39Martin Velits (Svk) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 38 - Cell 2
40Elias Van Breussegem (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 39 - Cell 2
41Marcel Aregger (Sui) IAM CyclingRow 40 - Cell 2
42Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM CyclingRow 41 - Cell 2
43Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNL-Jumbo0:01:30
44Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 43 - Cell 2
45Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:01:38
46Iljo Keisse (Bel) Tinkoff - Saxo0:01:48
47Fredrik Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant - Alpecin0:04:48
48Simon Pellaud (Sui) IAM CyclingRow 47 - Cell 2
49Wesley Kreder (Ned) Team Roompot Oranje PelotonRow 48 - Cell 2
50Robbert De Greef (Ned) Cyclingteam Join's - De Rijke0:05:57
51Darijus Dzervus (Ltu) CCT p/b Champion SystemRow 50 - Cell 2
52Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 51 - Cell 2
53Max Walscheid (Ger) Team Giant - AlpecinRow 52 - Cell 2
54Florian Sénéchal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits0:06:25
DNFZdenek Štybar (Cze) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 54 - Cell 2
DNFYves Lampaert (Bel) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 55 - Cell 2
DNFGianni Meersman (Bel) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 56 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Vermote (Bel) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 57 - Cell 2
DNFSean De Bie (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 58 - Cell 2
DNFJens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 59 - Cell 2
DNFKenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 60 - Cell 2
DNFTosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 61 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 62 - Cell 2
DNFMartijn Keizer (Ned) Team LottoNL-JumboRow 63 - Cell 2
DNFMichal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 64 - Cell 2
DNFAntwan Tolhoek (Ned) Tinkoff - SaxoRow 65 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Degand (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 66 - Cell 2
DNFDries Devenyns (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 67 - Cell 2
DNFVicente Reynes Mimo (Esp) IAM CyclingRow 68 - Cell 2
DNFCaleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant - AlpecinRow 69 - Cell 2
DNFThierry Hupond (Fra) Team Giant - AlpecinRow 70 - Cell 2
DNFEdward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 71 - Cell 2
DNFOliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFJelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 73 - Cell 2
DNFStijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFPieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFJens Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 76 - Cell 2
DNFJesper Asselman (Ned) Team Roompot Oranje PelotonRow 77 - Cell 2
DNFTim Kerkhof (Ned) Team Roompot Oranje PelotonRow 78 - Cell 2
DNFRaymond Kreder (Ned) Team Roompot Oranje PelotonRow 79 - Cell 2
DNFAndré Looij (Ned) Team Roompot Oranje PelotonRow 80 - Cell 2
DNFIvar Slik (Ned) Team Roompot Oranje PelotonRow 81 - Cell 2
DNFBerden De Vries (Ned) Team Roompot Oranje PelotonRow 82 - Cell 2
DNFAdrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CréditsRow 83 - Cell 2
DNFKenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CréditsRow 84 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CréditsRow 85 - Cell 2
DNFXavier San Sebastian (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions CréditsRow 86 - Cell 2
DNFFrederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 87 - Cell 2
DNFBjörn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 88 - Cell 2
DNFRobin Stenuit (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 89 - Cell 2
DNFGregory Habeaux (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 90 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Ista (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 91 - Cell 2
DNFTom Dernies (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 92 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Stassen (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFLoic Pestiaux (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFAntoine Warnier (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 95 - Cell 2
DNFFranklin Six (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 96 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Kaise (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFRemy Mertz (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFFlorent Delfosse (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFMartin Palm (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFJimmy Duquennoy (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFLionel Taminiaux (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFAntoine Loy (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFTom Armstrong (GBr) T.Palm - Pôle Continental WallonRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFClaudio Catania (Ita) T.Palm - Pôle Continental WallonRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFAntoine Didier (Bel) T.Palm - Pôle Continental WallonRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Delvaux (Bel) T.Palm - Pôle Continental WallonRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Haag (Bel) T.Palm - Pôle Continental WallonRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFBastien Kroonen (Bel) T.Palm - Pôle Continental WallonRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFIan Vansumere (Bel) T.Palm - Pôle Continental WallonRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Vekeman (Bel) T.Palm - Pôle Continental WallonRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFTom Goovaerts (Bel) CCT p/b Champion SystemRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFDenis Flahaut (Fra) CCT p/b Champion SystemRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFTanzou Tokuda (Jpn) CCT p/b Champion SystemRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFJames Spragg (GBr) CCT p/b Champion SystemRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFCoen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Cyclingteam Join's - De RijkeRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFTimon Van Reek (Ned) Cyclingteam Join's - De RijkeRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFDaan Meijers (Ned) Cyclingteam Join's - De RijkeRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFKobus Hereijgers (Ned) Cyclingteam Join's - De RijkeRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFEdwig Cammaerts (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFNiels De Rooze (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFGorik Gardeyn (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFAntoine Leleu (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Van Den Brande (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFJustin Jules (Fra) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFKenny Willems (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFDennis Coenen (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden PalaceRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFSander Cordeel (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden PalaceRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFGerry Druyts (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden PalaceRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFTimothy Stevens (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden PalaceRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFJordi Van Dingenen (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden PalaceRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFAlphonse Vermote (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden PalaceRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFDimitri Claeys (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFJerome Kerf (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 134 - Cell 2
DNSSeppe Verscheure (Bel) CCT p/b Champion SystemRow 135 - Cell 2
DNSRonan Van Zandbeek (Ned) Cyclingteam Join's - De RijkeRow 136 - Cell 2
DNSMartial Roman (Fra) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 137 - Cell 2
DNSAlexander Geuens (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden PalaceRow 138 - Cell 2
DNSJoeri Calleeuw (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 139 - Cell 2

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Kirsten Frattini
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Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.

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