The Binche - Chimay - Binche / Mémorial Frank Vandenbroucke is a 206.8 km Belgian one-day race starting and finishing in Binche, run as a 1.1-category event on a hilly profile that concludes with a flat run-in to the finish. The route's rolling Wallonian roads will test riders' hills ability and punch throughout the day before setting up a sprint or reduced-group finish for those who survive the attrition. Named in honour of the late Frank Vandenbroucke, the race carries genuine emotional weight in the Belgian cycling calendar and historically rewards complete, classics-style riders.
★★★★
Top Favorite
Jenthe Biermans is in a class of his own in this startlist. He leads the field in hills suitability, carries a recent win at stage 1 of the Cholet Agglo Tour on a similar course, and has posted multiple top-3 results in analogous races over the past three months. With Cofidis fielding a strong numerical presence, he has both individual quality and team support to control the race.
Cofidis
Cofidis
Jenthe Biermans is the clear favourite here: he leads the field in hills suitability, has logged two top-3 finishes and a win — at stage 1 of the Cholet Agglo Tour — in similar-profile races recently, and is one of the most rounded classics-style riders in this startlist. His form on hilly, punchy terrain is simply unmatched among those on the line today.
★★★
Strong Contenders
Milan Fretin and Jordi Meeus form a compelling second tier. Fretin's win at stage 4 of the Tour Poitou - Charentes demonstrates he can close out races on this type of terrain, while Meeus's four top-3 results in similar races signal a rider bursting to convert pressure into victory. Either could take the win if Biermans is marked or caught out.
Red Bull - BORA
Red Bull - BORA
Jordi Meeus is one of the most dangerous finishers in the field, boasting four top-3 results in similar-profile races over the last 90 days without yet converting one into a win. His sprint is among the sharpest in this group, and if the bunch arrives together on the flat finish in Binche, he will be extremely hard to beat.
Cofidis
Cofidis
Milan Fretin arrives with strong credentials for this type of race, having claimed victory at stage 4 of the Tour Poitou - Charentes and a second top-3 in similar-profile events recently. His combination of solid hills ability and a punchy sprint makes him well-suited to a flat finish after a hilly route.
★★
Dark Horses
Tom Van Asbroeck, Jan Maas, and Mathias Norsgaard are capable enough to feature in a reduced finale without being obvious pre-race picks. Van Asbroeck's classics experience and cobbles resilience, Maas's well-rounded profile within a strong Cofidis team, and Norsgaard's ability to time-trial his way back into contention after climbs all give this trio legitimate pathways to the podium.
Cofidis
Cofidis
Jan Maas brings a balanced profile across hills and cobbles that suits this type of Belgian semi-classic well, and his Cofidis squad will be well-represented in the peloton today. Results in similar conditions have been modest, but his all-round competence keeps him in the mix as a team card to play.
Lidl-Trek
Lidl-Trek
Mathias Norsgaard has a solid hills profile and decent time trial ability, giving him the legs to stay active over the punchy climbs before Binche. He has yet to place in the top-10 in similar races recently, but his Lidl-Trek backing and tactical awareness make him a credible dark horse.
NSN Cycling
NSN Cycling
Tom Van Asbroeck is an experienced classics hand with strong hills and cobbles credentials, well-suited to the undulating roads between Binche and Chimay. He has not cracked the top-10 in similar-profile races recently, but his profile fits the course and he should not be overlooked.
★
Ones to Watch
Piet Allegaert, Niklas Behrens, Stanislaw Aniolkowski, and Lucas Jacques round out the selection as genuine outsiders. Allegaert has the closest thing to meaningful recent form in this group with a top-10, Behrens and Aniolkowski are developmental talents who could surprise, and Jacques is the wildcard from a smaller team who could exploit a chaotic finale.
Color Code
Color Code
Lucas Jacques is the wildcard from Color Code, a smaller outfit that often targets races of this class. His hills profile is competitive enough to survive the day's undulations, but without recent form in similar races he remains an intriguing outsider rather than a genuine threat.
Visma - Lease a Bike
Visma - Lease a Bike
Niklas Behrens is one of the younger riders in the field and offers a reasonable hills profile combined with good time trial legs, making him capable of surviving the selection. Results in similar-profile races have not yet materialised, but he is one to watch for the future.
Cofidis
Cofidis
Piet Allegaert managed one top-10 in similar-profile races over the past 90 days, and while his hills credentials are respectable, he has struggled to threaten the podium in comparable events. He is nonetheless a consistent presence and a useful Cofidis option if the race fragments.
Cofidis
Cofidis
Stanislaw Aniolkowski brings a punchy sprint to complement adequate hills ability, and racing alongside his Cofidis teammates could see him benefit from a numerical advantage if the race comes to a reduced bunch finish. His record in similar conditions is limited, keeping him firmly in the outsider tier.
Verdict
Jenthe Biermans stands out as the top favourite given his superior hills profile and recent winning form in comparable races, while Milan Fretin and Jordi Meeus represent the most dangerous challengers — Fretin with a recent stage win to his name and Meeus with a series of near-misses that underline his finishing speed.