Coverage of 2018 BinckBank Tour
Automatically updates with LIVE text and twitter updates from each stage of the race, daily.
Tip: You can find details of all the stages and the previous stage results in the middle column. Just click on the 'preview' or 'results' links.
Stage 7, Sunday August 19, Lacs de l'Eau d'Heure to Geraardsbergen - 209.5 km
** STARTS: 06:30 USA Pacific, 09:30 USA East Coast, 13:30 UK, 14:30 Europe **
16:25 local (CET), 15:25 UK, 10:25 US EST: - Final GC Top 10
16:21 local (CET), 15:21 UK, 10:21 US EST: - Final Stage 7 Top 10
16:20 local (CET), 15:20 UK, 10:20 US EST: - Mohoric wins the GC for few seconds after Matthews wins the final stage
16:19 local (CET), 15:19 UK, 10:19 US EST: - Michael Matthews goes clear! Van Avermaet following! But Michael Matthews with a great ride!
16:19 local (CET), 15:19 UK, 10:19 US EST: - MOHORIC ATTACKS!! Nobody let's that go!! He's leading the peloton up the Kepelmuur now.
16:18 local (CET), 15:18 UK, 10:18 US EST: - Last kilometer. The final climb on the Vesten in Geraardsbergen is about to begin. Still 18 riders can win this stage.
16:17 local (CET), 15:17 UK, 10:17 US EST: - Van Baarle tries to go solo but Stuyvan, Stybar and Scully hold on. Van Baarle wants others to work as the superb descending skills of Matej Mohoric is slowly pulling this back! 2km to go!
16:15 local (CET), 15:15 UK, 10:15 US EST: - Mohoric is back in front but new attacks now with 3.5 km to go. Stuyven with Van Baarle, Stybar and a EF-Drapac in front
16:14 local (CET), 15:14 UK, 10:14 US EST: - Stybar is pulled back. Naesen, GVA, Matthews, Kragh Andersen, Schachmann, Stuyvan, Wellens, Scully, Mühlberger and more! Mohoric somehow bridges again!! 4km to go
16:13 local (CET), 15:13 UK, 10:13 US EST: - Kragh Andersen is guiding Matthews across as Stybar flies past Naesen! Stuyvan now bridging over the Sunweb lads. Matthews goes solo with GVA there too.
16:11 local (CET), 15:11 UK, 10:11 US EST: - We're on the cobbles again! Mohoric is still going well, the peloton are gaining on Naesen as Stybar attacks hard!!
16:09 local (CET), 15:09 UK, 10:09 US EST: - 7k to go. It's Naesen against the rest. 17 seconds. Mohoric has everything under control for the moment. Naesen is no immediate threat as he's 1:42 behind in the GC
16:07 local (CET), 15:07 UK, 10:07 US EST: - With 8.6km remaining Naeson is at the front - 23 seconds behind there is a big chasing group
15:54 local (CET), 14:54 UK, 09:54 US EST: - New attacks in the main group but Mohoric is careful at the moment. 11 km to go, Naesen in front, Group 23"
15:52 local (CET), 14:52 UK, 09:52 US EST: - Wellens takes 7" and Naesen 8" in the golden KM. Matthews and Stybar are chasing Wellens who is chasing Naesen. 20 km to go
15:49 local (CET), 14:49 UK, 09:49 US EST: - 21 km to go, Chasing Group 12", Main Group not far. Wellens and Naesen attacks
15:41 local (CET), 14:41 UK, 09:41 US EST: - 7 riders are chasing the front including Stybar, Valgren, Wellens and Naesen
15:32 local (CET), 14:32 UK, 09:32 US EST: - Durbridge, Slagter, Madouas and 2 Wanty riders are with Valgren, Stybar, Ulissi and Campenaerts in the chasing group.
28 km to go, Chasing Group 42". -2 KM to Kapelmuu
15:17 local (CET), 14:17 UK, 09:17 US EST: - 34k to go. Van Keirsbulck still alone in the front. At 23 seconds Valgren Andersen, Martens and Rickaert.
15:12 local (CET), 14:12 UK, 09:12 US EST: - Smashing it up the Muur. Dylan van Baarle is looking strong with 46km to race ?? This #BinckBankTour finale is going to be fun
14:59 local (CET), 13:59 UK, 08:59 US EST: - Big move on the Wall of Geraardsbergen!
14:39 local (CET), 13:39 UK, 08:39 US EST: - Distance covered by the 7 leaders is 157,6 km in 3h 27m with an average speed of 45,68 km/h. Peloton: +1m 17s.
14:29 local (CET), 13:29 UK, 08:29 US EST: - 75k to go. First passage at the finish in Stad Gbergen. The breakaway has an advantage of 3:30.
14:28 local (CET), 13:28 UK, 08:28 US EST: - The peloton about the hit the final 80 kms of this year's Binck Bank Tour. Denderondeberg plus the mythical Muur and Bosberg. Unfortunately for Mohoric, his rivals must attack from far.
Stage 7 in the BinckBank Tour travels from Lacs de l'Eau d'Heure to a finish halfway up the Wall of Geraardsbergen. At 209.5 kilometres, the riders face nineteen hills, including the infamous Wall three times from bottom to top.
After the Wall of Geraardsbergen was removed from the Tour of Flanders in 2012 the Eneco Tour adopted the climb.
Following the start at Lacs de Eau d’Heure – or Eau d’Heure lakes, a complex of five artificial lakes – the route begins with a local round of 11.8 kilometres, featuring two sharp climbs. Once the flag is dropped the riders hit the Pré-Barrage du Falemprise (400 metres at 9%) before continuing to the Pré-Barrage du Ry-Jaune (500 metres at 10%). The lap in between the lakes is raced twice.
The BinckBank Tour then sets sail to the closing circuit around Geraardsbergen. Passing west of Charleroi, the route moves through Beaumont, Sartiau and Binche. Meanwhile, hill number five is crested – 700 metres at 6%.
At kilometre 125.5 the riders get a first taste of the finish line before the race concludes with three laps of 25.6 kilometres. Each run takes in climbs up the Wall of Geraardsbergen (1,100 metres at 8.7%, cobbled), Bosberg (1,000 metres at 6%, last 400 metres cobbled), Onkerzelestraat (1,500 metres at 3%), and Denderoordberg (700 metres at 8%).
Following the last passage over the Denderooststraat there are 5.4 kilometres left to race. A flat section leads to a gradual descent of 2 kilometres before a flat run-in of 1.5 kilometres moves though Geraardsbergen, which is one of the oldest cities in Belgium. The route crosses the Dender River and shortly the riders hit the foot of the Wall of Geraardsbergen. The last 500 metres go up at 5%.
Expect plenty of actions as Mohoric rivals go on the attack, it is sure to be an amazing finale to this year's race.
2018 BinckBank Tour GC after Stage 6
1 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain-Merida 20:34:12
2 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb 0:00:30
3 Taco van der Hoorn (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij 0:00:32
4 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb 0:00:34
5 Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:35
6 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:36
7 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Lotto Soudal
8 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:37
9 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Team Sky 0:00:44
10 Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:47