The 39th edition of Binche-Chimay-Binche got underway shortly after noon. An early breakaway of seven riders quickly formed. The peloton kept their advantage under control, helped in part by the efforts of Team Visma | Lease a Bike at the front. 

Halfway through the race, the riders reached the local circuit in and around Binche. The cobbled climb in the final kilometer was once again one of the key features of the course. As the race entered the local laps, attacks came in quick succession in the peloton. Among others, Per Strand Hagenes and Timo Kielich made several attempts to get away. A group including Hagenes managed to bridge across to the breakaway, but not long afterward, the peloton also closed the gap. 

Fatigue began to take its toll as the race became increasingly hectic. With around 30 kilometers to go, Team Visma | Lease a Bike leaders Matthew Brennan and Christophe Laporte made their presence felt for the first time. The two put in several strong accelerations, but once again the peloton managed to close the gap. 

Following another series of attacks, Laporte was part of a new breakaway as the race entered the final lap. The 33-year-old Frenchman previously won this race in 2022. Laporte and his nine fellow escapees were only caught in the closing kilometers by a reduced peloton. Brennan was ultimately forced to drop back on the demanding final kilometers. As a result, Team Visma | Lease a Bike was unable to secure a top ten finish. 

“We raced the way we wanted to race, but the result didn’t come,” sports director Maarten Wynants reflected. “In hindsight, our tactics may have been too aggressive, which meant we were running out of energy in the finale. Attacking from far out was a calculated risk, and unfortunately, it didn’t pay off. Matthew was one of the riders who tried to make a move from far out today, but the peloton didn’t give him any room. We’ll look back on this edition as a valuable learning experience for the guys.”