In the closing race of the 2024 Belgian calendar, this Tuesday, on Binche-Chimay-Binche, Paul Penhoët took yet another top-10. After a hectic, tough final kilometre, the young sprinter from Groupama-FDJ placed tenth on the line while Arnaud De Lie claimed victory. The last season’s appointment for him and some of his teammates will be Paris-Tours, on Sunday.
The final professional Belgian race of the season was set to take place around Binche this Tuesday, over approximately 200 kilometres. After a first loop of about 120 kilometres to the south, the peloton had to complete almost five laps of a 16-kilometre finishing circuit. A six-man breakaway was able to reach the circuit with a small lead over the peloton. “They went after 4-5 kilometres,” explained Frédéric Guesdon. “We then expected a bit of a fight in the first part of the race because there was quite a bit of wind, but almost nothing happened. We were a bit disappointed that it wasn’t livelier. Once we got to the circuit, there was a big acceleration from Lotto-Dstny, but there wasn’t that much of a fight either. As the guys told me, the wind wasn’t in the right direction. It was coming from the front on the long, slight uphill section following the finish line, so it was hard to make a difference, then it was a tailwind on the way back. The weather conditions didn’t make the race difficult this year and there weren’t many dropped riders in the end. We’ve known much harder editions.”
“We always hope for better”, Frédéric Guesdon
However, the Groupama-FDJ cycling team stayed focused on the hardest part of the course at every lap. “The goal was to follow because teams like Lidl-Trek or UAE Team Emirates did not have any real sprinters, so we knew that they would move”, said Frédéric Guesdon. “The goal was to not be one step behind, and to possibly have two chances: a man in the breakaway and the sprint card with Paul”. Eddy Le Huitouze, Olivier Le Gac and Lewis Askey therefore stood on their pedals several times to follow the accelerations. Alessandro Covi eventually entered the final lap a few seconds ahead of the pack, but everything got back together before the downhill section. In a good position at first, then a bit blocked behind, Paul Penhoët finally took advantage of a big pull from Clément Russo with three kilometres to come back in the top ten positions of the peloton. “He was really in a good position at the bottom of the small, cobbled climb, in De Lie’s wheel,” said Frédéric. “Unfortunately, he was boxed in a bit by Naesen, he lost a bit of speed, then he was boxed in again, he lost a few places, and he stayed there. When we look at the sprint, not many riders managed to come back.”
On the line, the French sprinter had to settle for tenth place, a few bike lengths behind Arnaud De Lie, a clear winner. “It’s a shame he lost his wheel because it was possible to do better,” added Frédéric. “Once he lost speed, it was over. We are a bit disappointed because we always hope for better, especially since the group is doing well, and Paul too. We know that he is looking for a victory, which would be important for the future. Now, we also have to say that there was a high level here.” Five of the riders lining up this Tuesday in Belgium will also be taking part in Paris-Tours on Sunday, where Valentin Madouas and Kevin Geniets will join them.
No comment