Tinkoff-Saxo is set for the Belgian autumn race of Binche-Chimay-Binche starting Tuesday. Matti Breschel leads the team, while DS Lars Michaelsen underlines that all riders will be free to make a charge if the opportunity arises. 
 
Tinkoff-Saxo starts the race with seven riders; Matti Breschel, Maciej Bodnar, Michael Kolar, Nikolay Trusov, Pavel Brutt and stagiaires Michael Gogl and Antwan Tolhoek.
 
According to Lars Michaelsen, team sports director, Tinkoff-Saxo will keep Matti Breschel protected for the finale, while the squad’s approach allows for attempts from the distance.
 
“Matti is the captain, but all of our riders are free to take the chance, if an opportunity arises or to prepare the grounds for Matti in the finale. In these late season races, motivation is essential and if one of our guys have great legs on the day, it’s possible to shape the race. We will save Matti for the finale, while the likes of Brutt can play their part earlier on. It’s difficult to predict anything this late in the season but Binche-Chimay-Binche is a good race to win and it’s considered an accomplishment to take the victory here”, comments Lars Michaelsen.
 
The Belgium race was first raced in 1911 and was reintroduced in the eighties after a longer hiatus. A total of 194.5km has to be covered in traditionally hilly Walloon terrain, while four laps of 16km will conclude the race.
 
“We have four laps in the finale on a challenging parcours. We’ve just been on a reconnaissance of the lap and there’re two cobblestone sections on the final kilometer - first a 400m uphill section followed by a downhill stretch towards the final 200 meters, also on cobbles and uphill. The roads are fairly narrow and it will be a matter of staying cool and put in the decisive move at the right time or waiting for the final burst for the line”, says Michaelsen and adds:

“The race is normally decided with a sprint among a select group of riders. But there will be a lot of movement and it’s all about playing one’s cards in the right fashion to ensure that you’re there in the end. The leading group is usually stretched out after the cobble sections and many riders are exhausted. It’s up to the team to make sure that Matti is in a good position on the approach to the final kilometer”.