The last part of the cycling season is near, but there are still a few races on the Europe Tour calendar. On Sunday, Lotto Soudal will compete in the Tour de l’Eurométropole, on Monday there is the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro and on Tuesday Binche-Chimay-Binche is scheduled. The races are a good preparation for the riders that will participate in the World Championships in Qatar at the end of the month.

On Sunday, the start of the Tour de l’Eurométropole will be given on the Great Market of Poperinge. In the past this race was known as a stage race, but in this year’s edition it’s only a one-day race. In previous years, Jens Debusschere managed to win several stages and Jürgen Roelandts finished third in the general classification in last year’s race. This year the race heads to Tournai over a distance of 195.6 kilometres. With ninety kilometres to go, the riders will arrive on the local circuit, which needs to be covered seven times and has the ascent of the Col de la Croix Jubaru in it. From the top of this hill, there are only 5.5 kilometres left to the finish line.

The day after, all eyes will be on the German city Münster for the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro. In the 225.8 kilometres race the riders have to overcome seven climbs and three intermediate sprints before they head into the local laps. These local laps are completely flat, so this offers a great chance for André Greipel to win in his home country.

The last race of the Walloon cycling season is Binche-Chimay-Binche and will be ridden on Tuesday, the 4th of October. After the start has been given, the riders will ride from Binche to Chimay where they will turn around and head back to Binche for the final. Once the riders are back in Binche, six local laps with a cobblestone section awaits them. Let’s see if a sprinter will be able to survive the tough final and bring home the victory or if a small group of attackers will decide who can make the victory gesture.

Line-up Tour de l’Eurométropole:

Lars Bak, Kris Boeckmans, Thomas De Gendt, Jens Debusschere, Pim Ligthart, Jürgen Roelandts, Tosh Van der Sande and Jelle Wallays.

Line-up Sparkassen Münsterland Giro (one rider has to be cut):

Sander Armée, Jasper De Buyst, Kevin Deltombe, Gert Dockx, Frederik Frison, Michael Goolaerts, André Greipel, James Callum Shaw and Marcel Sieberg.

Line-up Binche-Chimay-Binche:

Lars Bak, Kris Boeckmans, Thomas De Gendt, Jens Debusschere, Pim Ligthart, Jürgen Roelandts, Tosh Van der Sande and Jelle Wallays.