Omega Pharma Quick Step's Zdenek Stybar has won the Binche - Chimay - Binche race in Belgium
This 194.5km race which has a 1-1 European Tour category and is also a memorial to Franck Vandenbrouke attracted a strong mix of World Tour and pro continental teams and started in Binche on a cloudy day.
Ten riders got into the break including three Omega Phama Quick Step riders and with ninety kilometres left, they were 57 seconds ahead of a second group and 1.36 ahead of what was left of the peloton.
With the rain coming down, Martin Velits of Omega Pharma Quick Step got away from this lead group, followed by Niklas Arndt of Giant Shimano, Thomas De Gendt and Rob Ruijgh.
With 67kms left, Arndt went down on a bend and although he had a number of cuts, he carried on, leaving three up front and the peloton heading towards the second group on the road.
Over the finish line which was preceeded by a section of cobbles for the first of four laps of sixteen kilometres, the escapers had a lead of 1.16 which had come down to 33 seconds with 55kms left and then fifteen seconds just under three kilometres later.
De Gendt tried to stay away but just before the start of the third lap, the rest of the break were swept up.
Six riders were on the front with 34.7kms left on wet roads which included Kenneth Vanbilsen of Topsport, De Gendt and Jean Albert Carnevali and Benoot, Senechal, De Gendt, Carnevali, Pardini and Vanbilsen had a forty second lead with two laps to go and the majority of riders who started the race, having withdrawn and only about forty riders left in the bunch.
Nico Denz of AG2R shot off the front of the peloton but was soon brought back by a peloton of 45 riders who were a minute behind the six riders up front.
Onto the last lap and BMC were looking to pull back a 37 second gap but it Nicky Terpstra who was first to go after the escapers and he caught them with 12.3kms left.
Carnevali dropped off the lead group and was re-absorbed before Benoot and De Gendt followed by Terpstra and Vanbilsen.
That break was caught with 5.8kms left and Omega Pharma Quick Step took over.Zdenek Stybar went away led out by Terpstra with a kilometre and he won ahead of Degnekolb and Debusschere and Van Avermaet.
"I went just before the last kilometre and knew that although my health since the Eneco has not been good," said Stybar
"I had to avoid the sprint. The other riders were strong but once you start winning, everyone is motivated until the end of the season. My shape is not 100% but I am really very happy to have won."
