Be one of the first to try our new activity feed 'It's really surreal': Newly crowned junior road and TT champion continues meteoric rise at Binche-Chimay-Binche with fourth win in five race-days It seems only the off-season can stop Cat Ferguson from crushing bike races Ferguson outsprinted a pack of WorldTour elite to win her fourth race in five starts Tuesday at Binche-Chimay-Binche It was the Movistar trainee’s first victory since she dominated the peloton’s most promising teenagers at the Zürich world championships and a warning to her seniors ahead of her full graduation to the Women’s WorldTour “It’s incredible,” Ferguson said at the finish Tuesday I’m still a stagiaire,” she said “This is totally not what I expected at the front of the race If you weren’t already aware of Ferguson’s name after the recent road worlds The 18-year-old collected two rainbow jerseys in Zürich for Great Britain when she tore up the time trial and doubled up at the road race just two days later Ferguson’s sprint win Tuesday at the 1.1-rated Binche-Chimay-Binche wasn’t even her first victory at the elite level She already stunned all her seniors ahead of road worlds with a win for Team Movistar at the AG Tour de la Semois Better still for Movistar and Team GB, this multi-discipline phenom is only getting started “I’m so grateful to the girls because I’m new and they are so welcoming and accommodating They help me to learn so much,” Ferguson said after she powered to sprint victory Tuesday “I hope to just continue how I’m doing now,” she continued “If I can keep on the progression that I’m going on then I think I can achieve great things.” Ferguson has a full-time contract with Team Movistar from next year through to 2027 “The next three years are just about adapting to the new category and learning from the girls around me,” she said Ferguson’s trainers and mentors had better start revising their development program now because their double junior champion already seems several steps ahead A post shared by Movistar Team (@movistar_team) What’s it like to be an American cyclist living in France Watch to get professional road cyclist Joe Dombrowski’s view Britain’s Cat Ferguson stunned the field to to claim victory at Binche-Chimay-Binche pour Dames HomeDestinationsInterestsTop Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to Belgium One of the oldest and merriest shrove traditions of Wallonie The carnival transforms the Belgian town of Binche from Sunday to Ash Wednesday but the most important day is Shrove Tuesday The biggest attraction of the carnival's parades is costumed performers known as Gilles Clown-like figures are dressed in clogs and suits embroidered with heraldic symbols They also wear large hats with ostrich plumes About 1,000 Gilles in their bright costumes and wooden logs march through the streets from Tuesday morning to the grand finale of the carnival The oranges are supposed to bring good luck There are a few theories regarding the origin if Gilles' unusual appearance who ruled the city in the 16th century brought Incas to perform at the carnival and their flamboyant costumes have become a tradition ever since The Carnival de Binche begins on Shrove Sunday with a lively celebration that sets the tone for the days ahead the streets of Binche come alive with vibrant costumes accompanied by the sounds of violas and tambours as performers entertain residents and visitors alike the grand Carnival Procession departs from Avenue Wanderpepen and winds its way through Parc Derbaix before concluding at Avenue Charles Deliège by 6 pm does not appear in his traditional costume on Sunday Monday continues the festive spirit with a focus on youth and community young participants accompanied by violas bring music and joy to the streets The highlight of the day comes at 4 pm with a Friendship Round Dance ("rondeau") held in the Grand-Place the festivities reach a dazzling climax with a spectacular fireworks display at 7 pm in Eugène Derbaix Square lighting up the sky in honor of the carnival Shrove Tuesday is the grand finale of the Carnival de Binche and the most iconic day of the celebrations A special reception at the town hall follows where the Gilles and Paysans don their signature wax masks the colorful Parade of the Gilles and other characters commences from Battignies Square now wearing their elaborate hats adorned with ostrich feathers throw oranges to the crowd—a symbolic gesture of good luck and prosperity the Gilles and spectators gather for another round dance in the market square The day’s celebrations continue into the evening with a dazzling parade of sparklers and a round dance starting at 8 pm from Avenue Charles Deliège The carnival concludes with a breathtaking fireworks display at 9:30 pm marking the end of Binche's cherished tradition in a blaze of light and color Binche residents prepare for the Carnival for the whole year since all events require coordination and rehearsals It's considered to be a great honor for local men to be dressed as Gilles There are many carnival societies and non-profits that are involved in the event Carnival of Binche displays the best in the city blending historical customs with community spirit making it an unforgettable experience for all who attend as Jasper Philipsen forced to settle for fourth in chaotic sprint into in Binche only coming around his compatriot in the final 50 metres Philipsen found himself with no lead-out riders left in the last 100 metres after a chaotic run for home prompting him to launch early away from Danny van Poppel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) as the bunch hit the cobbled finishing rise This is De Lie's seventh win of the season and makes him the first rider from Wallonia to win Binche-Chimay-Binche since Frank Vandenbrouke in 1996 "The first two or three hours of the race I didn't really have good legs but I stayed calm The team really did a good job and I felt stronger and they kept the front," said De Lie who admitted pre-race that he wasn't in his best shape after a long season.  I saw that Jasper Philipsen went so I went onto his wheel and back to the best possible place and it's fantastic to win here in Wallonia in this jersey I didn't have the best legs but after three hours I got into it and they responded well It's really nice to add this one to my palmarès." The 198.6km race set off from Binche in the morning with grey and windy conditions prepared to greet the field The break of the day was formed in the opening 10 kilometres Adrien Maire (TDT-Unibet) and Rindert Buiter (VolkerWessels) Racing was quick in the peloton with lots of teams working to keep the deficit around 3:30 until they started to reel in the six break riders which didn't take long once they entered the final 50km.  Attacks came from the likes of Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) and Dries De Bondt (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) - on several occasions which forced others behind to respond like Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek) and Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates) Covi managed to get a gap and go solo but the racing was on behind and he was kept around a 15-second margin until the final lap of the local course around Binche when he was joined by Andreas Stokbro (TDT-Unibet) with 13km to go.  The Dane quickly had a compatriot with him in front when Magnus Cort Nielsen (Uno-X Mobility) decided to bridge across before attacking solo which ended Covi's and Stokbro's day in front He wasn't allowed much freedom as the sprinter's teams wanted to get into ideal position for the final 10km run to the line bringing things all back together with Lidl-Trek Alpecin-Deceuninck and Lotto Dstny best positioned.  Alpecin took full control in the final 5km as things got more chaotic and strung out on the tailwind roads approaching Binche with Girmay's Intermarché-Wanty train positioned just behind.  Philipsen's team continued to dominate the lead-out until the final approach to the line and the cobblestone sectors arrived they ran out of riders and he was left to navigate the last kilometre on his own.  With other pre-race favourite Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) way down and not contesting the finale Philipsen opted to launch early away from Van Poppel who was in his wheel but couldn't maintain his effort.  all eventually passing the top sprinter at the line as he was resigned to fourth in a disappointing day out in Belgium The Belgian champion will look for more success to round out 2024 at the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro on Thursday and Paris-Tours on Sunday Results powered by FirstCycling during which time he also wrote for Eurosport Prior to joining the team he reported on races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d’Italia Donne for Eurosport and has interviewed some of the sport’s top riders in Chloé Dygert he spends the majority of his time watching other sports – rugby People wearing costumes of "Gille" attend the Binche Carnival A man carrying oranges attends the Binche Carnival People in costumes of "Gille" attend the Binche Carnival A woman catches an orange during the Binche Carnival Instagram or YouTube Shorts – and use #whatsyourtour to show us what the Tour de France means to you… explore the countryside or just cruise down the road in a zen-like state Follow the Tour with general updates and become the best version of Peter Sagan you can be How to successfully explain that you need a new bike Factual reports on all the latest health trends and nutritional methods We’ll help you get the most out of your training sessions Veer off the main road and explore nature first-hand Learn to navigate the jungle that is city cycling For a sense of adventure that knows no bounds Guide your relatives toward the one thing that actually matters WeLoveCycling.com is an online magazine that brings you original stories fresh videos and special reports from the wide world of cycling The 22-year-old Belgian champion Arnaud de Lie (Lotto Dstny) won Tuesday’s one-day Binche-Chimay-Binche with a late beating a pair of Tour de France Škoda Green Jersey Winners Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) just ahead of the Belgian Cofidis rider Milan Fretin with Philipsen fading to a disappointing fourth The 198.6km route was always going to end in a sprint finish as the few bumps in the road and the capricious winds were of little help to the many breakaways that featured in the last 35km of the race The final 80km took place on a loop around the town of Binche The most serious of the breaks was that of the Italian Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates) who took off on his own 29km from the finish line and though he picked up help late on in the person of Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) The drive of the teams with sprinters in the race was irresistible and the break ended with 11.2km left to ride The race for the line began in earnest 600m from the finish 2021) Danny van Poppel (Red Bull– BORA–hansgrohe) made a very early dash for the line who had lost all his leadout riders and was looking to use van Poppel as a springboard a delighted de Lie said that before the race he thought he had no chance to win “In the morning I didn’t feel good about my form and didn’t have good legs but after three hours [of racing] they were good again,” he said “The team did a good job keeping me in front It’s fantastic to win here in Wallonia.” De Lie was born in the region He beat Philipsen and Wout van Aert (Visma–Lease a Bike) to win the Belgian championship in June Girmay and European road race champion Tim Merlier (Soudal–Quick Step) in the race this was an unusually high-quality lineup for this second-level race who was widely considered the favorite for the win never had a foothold in the race and finished 15th It's going to be so great to have you with us We just need your email address to keep in touch WeLoveCycling.com is an online magazine that brings you original stories Le rapport sur la mise en oeuvre de la Convention, à soumettre par les États parties tous les 6 ans, contient une section sur les éléments inscrits sur la Liste représentative. En savoir plus sur les rapports périodiques Belgique Inscrit en 2008 (3.COM) sur la Liste représentative du patrimoine culturel immatériel de l’humanité (originellement proclamé en 2003) La ville de Binche est située au sud de Bruxelles pendant les trois jours qui précèdent le carême elle accueille un carnaval qui mobilise le centre historique de la cité et attire des foules de visiteurs étrangers le célèbre carnaval de Binche est l’une des plus anciennes manifestations de ce type encore vivantes en Europe une atmosphère de joyeuse effervescence règne dans la ville où des milliers de Binchois s’affairent à la confection de somptueux costumes et se joignent aux répétitions de batterie ou aux bals costumés qui marque officiellement le début du carnaval des hordes de noceurs masqués envahissent rues et cafés de la ville hommes vêtus d’extravagants accoutrements féminins sont la principale attraction de cette journée Le carnaval atteint son apogée le jour de Mardi gras avec l’apparition des légendaires Gilles Après le cérémonial complexe de l’habillage plusieurs centaines de Gilles arborant leurs costumes rouges jaunes et noirs et leurs chapeaux à plumes d’autruche des clochettes et des masques de cire à petites lunettes se mêlant aux fêtards costumés et aux fanfares locales de cuivres et de clarinettes Entraînés par les airs traditionnels joués à la viole et au tambour Le point d’orgue des festivités de la journée est la danse des Gilles sur la Grand Place Le carnaval de Binche est une véritable fête populaire réputée pour sa spontanéité et l’engagement financier substantiel de ses participants Les habitants de la ville en tirent une grande fierté et s’efforcent de préserver l’artisanat et les savoir-faire associés aux costumes danses et musiques traditionnels du carnaval Mot de passe oublié ? The 21-year-old American racked up another top ten in an important one-day race The final Belgian event of the season came down to a bunch sprint but it was far from being a straightforward one due to the cobbles and the numerous tricky corners that spiced up the final kilometers of this 37th edition Soudal Quick-Step controlled the 198.6km race from the beginning posting Ayco Bastiaens at the front of the peloton to keep the escapees’ gap in check and later – after the breakaway was brought back – made sure of being present in all the dangerous moves with the likes of Kasper Asgreen and Yves Lampaert but they were all neutralized by the peloton the sprint trains derailed and it was soon every man for himself Luke Lamperti was left to carry the flag for our team and the young American didn’t disappoint taking a solid sixth at the end of the race won by Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) for what was his tenth top-ten result since the beginning of the season Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images to know how many times a particular page is read We only use this information to improve the content of our website These cookies are only placed after you have given your consent Up-and-coming sprinter shows promising form with win at Binche-Chimay-Binche Nor yet does he feel there is any pressure on him to do so De Lie, 22, told Belgian newspaper Dernière Heure on Thursday that he believes that Paris-Tours' extremely technical rugged finale – comprising 10km of vineyard dirt tracks and gravel pathways on the hills overlooking the River Loire – meant that when it came to producing top-level performances Furthermore, De Lie faces a formidable line-up on Sunday's 213km effort, with no less than five former winners of Paris-Tours present – Arnaud Démare (Arkea-B&B Hotels), 2023 champion Riley Sheehan (Israel-Premier Tech) Soren Kragh Andersen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Matteo Trentin (Tudor ProCycling).  The in-form Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) fresh from his victory in Sparkasse Münsterland Giro where De Lie finished eighth on Thursday, will also be present for France's last road race of the 2024 season Winning in Binche-Chimay-Binche on Tuesday ahead of Philipsen De Lie told the Paris-Tours race website earlier this week I'd been feeling a bit under the weather since the GP de Wallonie two weeks ago "I'm not putting myself under pressure regarding this course Nowadays in Paris-Tours" – which up until a few years ago was held purely on normal roads rather than including vineyard tracks – "you also need a lot of luck." and each time I had setbacks with crashes and punctures De Lie's misfortune in his two participations in Paris-Tours meant that the first time he abandoned after getting involved in a crash some 60 kilometres from the finish he punctured three or four times in quick succession late and consequently once again opted to call it a day when De Lie says he enjoys racing across gravel as shown by his victory in the Tro Bro León which has plenty of similar off-road sections like Paris-Tours is that he is also realistic about how such challenging terrain The reigning Belgian national champion commented that he remembered how his former teammate Frederik Frison had been the victim of extreme bad luck in Paris-Tours when "he was fighting for victory But then he punctured in the last gravel sector "So I'm going to ride Paris-Tours without feeling any kind of pressure Alasdair FotheringhamSocial Links NavigationAlasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991 He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain he has also written for The Independent,  The Guardian,  ProCycling 18-year-old takes second pro win for Movistar and first since becoming junior world champion British super-talent Cat Ferguson continued her stunning run of form with victory at Binche-Chimay-Binche pour Dames taking her second win as a professional and first since becoming junior time trial and road race world champion in Zürich who is still riding as a stagiaire in just her fourth race for Movistar was led out perfectly by Emma Norsgaard who kept the pace high in the final until her young teammate launched The Brit quickly distanced Charlotte Kool after the top sprinter suffered a late mechanical and easily sprinted to the victory ahead of Christina Schweinberger (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Anniina Ahtosalo (Uno-X Mobility) I'm still a stagiaire and this is totally not what I expected at the front of the race so it's really surreal," said Ferguson post-race "I'm so grateful to the girls because I'm new and they are so welcoming and accommodating and they help me so much to learn.  "I hope to just continue how I'm doing now - if I can keep on the progression that I'm going on at the minute then I think I can achieve great things but the next three years are just about adapting to the new category and learning from the girls around me." The 117km race from Chimay to Binche was all about the closing circuit in Binche which featured two short cobbled sectors tackled three times apiece plus a 3.2km Several breakaway attempts were made during the opening 70km including a solo move from Karolina Perekitko (Winspace) The Polish racer was brought back with 50km still to run Uno-X Mobility controlled the pace at the head of the peloton on the way towards the closing circuits before Jeanne Korevaar (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) put in the first major attack.  She was soon caught and passed by Victoire Berteau (Cofidis) and Anneke Dijkstra (VolkerWessels) with the pair pushing on alone and racing into the final kilometres only 10 seconds separated them and the peloton and it was DSM-Firmenich PostNL who brought them back for good just inside the final kilometre Movistar were next to take over the pacemaking with Ferguson lying behind Emma Norsgaard in the lead-out train DSM's Charlotte Kool was also in prime position for the sprint though a slip from the pedals at an inopportune moment saw her chances in the sprint all but disappear Ferguson took advantage of the situation and hit the front holding off charges from Schweinberger and Ahtosalo to secure the win as Kool finished a place back in fourth Results powered by FirstCycling Dani has reported from the world's top races She has interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars and her favourite races are the Giro d'Italia Marion Norbert Riberolle takes third in Binche a multi-discipline road and track World Champion covered the 19.3km course in a winning time of 25:57 in Binche beating runner-up Marthe Goossens (AG Insurance-Soudal Team) by 43 seconds and third-placed Marion Norbert Riberolle (Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team) by 44 seconds But it was also very difficult," she said regarding the course.  "There were some difficult parts: headwind You could make the biggest difference in the second part of the course which made it difficult to really gain time But the second part was really the most difficult.” The elite women's field will compete in the 123km road race for the championship jersey in Zottegem on Sunday Results powered by FirstCycling Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006 Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023 Alec Segaert forced to settle for second place three years in a row Wellens covered the 38.5km course with a winning time of 46:05 to claim the national champion's jersey Wellens finished nine seconds ahead of Alec Segaert (Lotto Dstny) who was forced to settle for second place for a third year in a row at the national championships.  Rune Herregodts (Intermarché-Wanty) took the final spot on the podium finishing the time trial at 29 seconds slower than the winning time “I rode faster than my pacing plan," Wellens said in an interview with Wielerflits after the time trial I had also trained quite a bit on the time trial bike But yesterday I was on an altitude training camp I came here straight after my flight to explore the course.  The elite men completed two laps of the same 19.3-kilometre lap that the elite women raced earlier in the day, and the title was won by Lotte Kopecky.  Absent from the elite men's event was 2022 champion and reigning World Champion Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) and three-time winner in 2019 Wellens was part of a second wave of riders on the course and recorded the fastest first intermediate time check Herregodts and Ward Vanhoof (Team Flanders-Baloise) also had fast times as they raced through the first of the two time checks en route Wellens carried his speed through the next time check and maintained the fastest time of the day through to the finish.  Segaert and Herregodts were close to Wellens through the second time check they gradually lost time and finished nine seconds and 29 seconds slower by the finish line Results powered by FirstCycling 'What a phenomenal talent she is' - Ferguson wins Binche-Chimay-Binche AdvertisementHow was your experience today Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain and this is never more accurate than when you establish yourself as a foreign resident in a new country Being able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain One of Belgium’s most iconic Carnival events takes place in Binche Recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity the Binche Carnival is a spectacle like no other The highlight of this three-day event is the Gilles local men dressed in elaborate costumes adorned with traditional patterns Only residents with deep roots in Binche can take on this role making it a point of pride for the community One of the most unique traditions is the orange-throwing ritual where Gilles toss oranges to the crowd as a symbol of good luck making Binche a must-visit during Carnival season Known for its over-the-top floats and costumes this event pokes fun at social and political issues with a healthy dose of humour While Aalst’s UNESCO recognition was controversially withdrawn in 2019 Aalst Carnival features traditional dances like the broomstick dance and fun activities like onion tossing Other celebrations in Flanders include Halle Carnival in Flemish Brabant and Sintruin Carnival in Limburg both known for their lively parades and local charm Carnival is infused with international flair Inspired by Bolivia’s famous Oruro Carnival Even the city’s beloved Manneken-Pis joins in by sporting festive Carnival outfits The streets of Brussels come alive with music offering a celebration that truly reflects the city’s diversity From the historic traditions of Binche to the playful satire of Aalst and the multicultural vibes of Brussels Belgium’s Carnival celebrations are as varied as they are vibrant Carnival is an unforgettable experience that brings people together in a shared love of fun and tradition Find more news about Belgium Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain by delivering news with a social conscience we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP) Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall) All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE Download our media pack in either English or Spanish Source : www.uci.org © DirectVelo - 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Mentions légales - CGV Vous pouvez aussi consulter du contenu spécifique à la FranceBelgique : although a metal net was also stretched across many vitrines down the carnival's route as protection from strays that make it past would-be receivers.Binche's lead character is the Gille with a white cap and small green spectacles featured on its face mask On reaching the town's main square for the parade's big finale the Gilles don elaborate ostrich feather hats weighing several kilograms.Sasha Trento a 16-year-old from the nearby city of Mons said he came to watch and try to catch an orange adding that that was not always easy."I saw multiple people get hit on the head with the oranges so I'm surprised it hasn't happened to me yet," U.S "The hats look very heavy and they are impressive I know they're quite expensive to make."Pierrots harlequins and peasants follow in the procession small bells sewn to their costumes ringing as local brass bands play the streets.Taking part in the parade is an important family tradition passed through generations A list of 2023 participants enlisted in local fraternities featured people from ages six to 70-years old."The two years when there was no carnival We were all sad," said one of the Gilles "Folklore is important in Binche."Additional reporting by Clement Rossignol and Bart Biesemans Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Bill Berkrot Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved It mustn't have been easy for him but it worked out," she added.The Binche carnival's cancellation in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic was a "black hole" for the business adding "we couldn't even imagine a future for the carnival."It was the first time the carnival was cancelled since World War Two significantly reducing costume makers' income from renting out their pieces."Now (the return of the carnival) is a great relief every morning we look at the COVID numbers," Kersten said.Her ostrich feather hat weighs 4kg (8.8 lb) and maintaining it takes 85 hours a year The costume itself requires 13 hours of work Kersten said the family can make 300 costumes per year.The carnival is due to take place from Feb A boy wearing costume of "Sailor" throws an orange symbolizing good luck to visitors during the parade of Shrove Tuesday a UNESCO World Heritage event and one of the most famous carnivals in Europe Local residents wearing costumes of "Gille" attend the parade of Shrove Tuesday People attend the parade of Shrove Tuesday A local resident wearing costume of "Gille" attends the parade of Shrove Tuesday Children give oranges symbolizing good luck to visitors during the parade of Shrove Tuesday Oranges symbolizing good luck are pictured during the parade of Shrove Tuesday Children wearing costumes of "Pierrot" attend the parade of Shrove Tuesday Sign In Subscribe Now The 7th annual Binche Fishing Derby returned to the shores of Stuart Lake last week the event saw 626 participants from across the province camp out in 80 campsites at Binche over the course of the Canada Day long weekend families gather at Binche to spend quality time fishing camping and enjoying live music at Stuart Lake This year the proceeds from the Fishing Derby will go toward the operation of the community bus that serves the region from Binche to Prince George chief operating officer of the Binche Keyoh Bu Society The non-profit operates the shuttle service with three buses to provide affordable service to everyone in the area Jamie Wiggins’ ten pound rainbow won him $10,000 Mary Ann Grondin came in first place with 11 pound 11.6 oz char with the prize of $2500 Gene Johnston caught an impressive 16 pound 3.9 oz char landing him first place in the men’s category Shy John walked away with 11 pounds 3.8oz for $2500 first place Lynn Naef came in first place in the elders category catching char 9 pounds 6.6 oz All the participants were entered into a draw of $5000 cash and Keegan Joseph had his lucky day winning $2500 The Music on the Rez (MotR) competition saw the first place prize of $3500 go to Misty Raine placing her name on the MotR Champ Cup Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church and we’ve always been transparent about that The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world you’ll find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences – a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope A deeper view that unites instead of divides Behind the news are values that drive people and nations Discover the values that drive the story The Monitor Daily amplifies and clarifies how we deliver on the Monitor’s purpose to benefit humanity by reporting what is happening in the world and why – and how this information matters to you The Christian Science Monitor's coverage of the war between Hamas and Israel We want to bridge divides to reach everyone from the notorious French Quarter parties to a festival that is recognized by UNESCO boys and men from 3 to 60 years old take to the streets of Binche by the thousands All the participants are dressed and masked as "Gilles" which have green goggle eyes The costumes are 16th century designs and some pieces are thought to be 150 years old themselves The Gilles first begin warding off evil spirits by shaking sticks in the main square They then adorn themselves in expensive ostridge feather headdresses and after some carefully choreographed dancing they then start throwing the oranges at the crowd plenty more leave bruises or cause damage to property The oranges are gifts symbolic of the coming warmer months Though you may not be in any of these cities now you know you can always toss an orange at somebody and shout "Laissez les bons temps rouler!" 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Login Monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too-small box that most people think they live in We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations Our work isn't possible without your support Return to the free version of the site Return to the free version of the site ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishGENERALBelgium's Carnival of Binche draws 135,000 visitors22 February 2023 The Belgian Carnival of Binche attracted more than 135,000 visitors between 19 and 21 February the Binche authorities announced on Wednesday the UNESCO World Heritage event in the medieval town of Binche attracted a record number of visitors "The Binche Carnival 2023 was truly exceptional in more ways than one," the Binche authorities said in a statement on Wednesday "135,366 unique visitors were counted over the three days This number testifies to the general desire to relive the Carnival of Binche after two years of pandemic" the town of Binche is taken over by boys and men dressed as "Gilles" the traditional main character of the event the Gilles dance through the town in the morning they don large ostrich feather hats and throw oranges to the crowds as a symbol of good luck the Binche folklore event was declared a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity it is one of the oldest surviving street carnivals in Europe "Gilles" characters with ostrich feather hats throw oranges during the Carnival of Binche on 21 February 2023 © BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE / BELGA VIDEO BENOIT DOPPAGNE Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu Local residents wearing costumes of "Gilles" throw oranges symbolizing good luck during the parade of Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday) The Gille costume is a tunic and trousers made of jute decorated with 150 patterns In pics: plum flowers after light spring rain Highlights of Australian Int'l Airshow Gesang flowers enter blooming season in China's Guangxi Spring farming across China In pics: blooming cole flowers across China Farmers busy with farm work in early spring across China Scenery in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang In pics: Beihai Park in Beijing Thousands of people from all over the world descended on the Belgian town of Binche this week to enjoy the music and atmosphere as they celebrated its annual carnival days Clad in straw-stuffed traditional costumes decorated with heraldic designs as to do so is regarded as a symbol of luck and happiness "People here are all in the mood for pleasure and we can feel the local festival atmosphere it is similar to Chinese Spring Festival," said Wang Qifan American visitor Adam Severeid came to the carnival to see its unique traditions on display "I know that in general people in Europe celebrate carnivals a lot and it's wonderful to get to experience the culture here in Belgium," he said which can trace its origins to the Middle Ages is one of Europe's oldest surviving carnivals and in 2003 UNESCO proclaimed it a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity." "The aim of this ritual is to celebrate the end of the winter and to bring the spring and to chase the evils and devils of the winter," said Clemence Mathieu the director of the town's International Museum of Carnival and Mask Preparing for performance is a lengthy process this year's carnival also included new celebrations to mark the 15th anniversary of its UNESCO recognition including the release of movies about its folklore a new CD of carnival music and a book called Paroles de Gilles (Words of Gilles) Last November the carnival museum opened a new historical interpretation center to organize more activities and introduce the carnival culture to the visitors from around the world so nowadays we have lots of tourists coming from Asia Dong Yuwen and Chen Wenxin in Brussels contributed to this story Binche Whut’en has officially separated from Tl’azt’en Nation Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs constituted Binche Whut’en as a band there was release and acknowledgement of Tl’azt’en Nation and Binche Whut’en We can close one book and open another,” he said READ MORE: Binche finalizes separation from Tl’azt’en Hallman said the assets have already been divided between Tlazt’en and Binche under the Terms of Division He said this document is not available to the public yet “The biggest item for us was dividing the reserve land Binche is approximately getting 10 reserves,” he said Binche has a population of 124 people who are registered as of now But they have more people who are interested in moving to the community but missed the first deadline “We are also opening up the door for other members from other bands to transfer too,” he added the band wrote that as a local government they are working towards self-sustainable community by investing in diverse economy creating jobs and improving social support services infrastructure The release also stated that Binche members have always disagreed with the forced amalgamation of Tache Grand Rapids & Middle River into one band the Department of Indian Affairs merged the communities of Tache Grand Rapids & Middle River into one Band named Stuart-Trembleur Band In 1987 the Stuart-Trembleur Band changed their name to Tl’azt’en nation,” as per the release Binche and Tl’azt’en are each separate Indigenous people with their own traditional territories “Binche and Tl’azt’en wished to undo the historical error of the amalgamation and give the legal recognition of the distinctiveness of T’lazt’en and Binche,” as per the release a unanimous motion was approved by Binche Band members that the community separate from Tl’azt’en Nation Tl’azt’en Nation chief and council signed a Band council resolution to enter into an agreement that would lead to Binche being an independent nation Tl’azt’en members approved the separation at a Band members meeting 2018 both communities voted for independence “Independence will allow our communities to work with our membership to devote a system that honors our own strengths We will be able to more accurately gauge the gaps in services and develop appropriate response to issues and utilize our strength to address these issues freeing our next generation to owning a free direction of free choice freeing our culture and traditional governance as it was prior to the Indian Act,” stated the release Tla’zt’en Nation Chief Beverly John was unavailable for comment before press time Aman Parhar Editor, Vanderhoof Omineca Express aman.parhar@ominecaexpress.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter is what the economic development manager of Binche Whut’en First Nation near Fort St Dave Birdi has witnessed many positive changes within his four years with the Binche Binche Keyoh Bu Society “When I first joined Binche it was to help them move forward to become more independent…and what they were looking for is no different than anyone of us looking in any of the communities—we all want good education a good place to raise kids and safe environment,” he said “So the message that I heard loud and clear from the community is they’re ready for change To improve matters directly impacting health and wellness Birdi said he follows three key components: education and working with different levels of government he recalled community members stepping into his office to use the phone many of them could not afford to the monthly fees,” he said $40 or more is quite a bit of money that they can’t use on food or clothing.” Because Binche owns its internet and telephone services Birdi said a monthly telephone plan starting at $10 was introduced upgrades to Binche’s high-speed internet has been completed Read More: Elders welcomed to new homes at Binche A major milestone was also achieved earlier this month with elders moving into the community’s first housing project in more than 20-years are hoped to be completed before the end of the year the next step what we’re promoting is instead of Binche financing the housing we would like to have the individuals work to the level in which that they’re able to go to the bank and get a loan or a mortgage and so that’s how we’re trying to give them the independence,” Birdi said The unemployment rate is near zero as Binche takes steps to bridge jobs while exploring diversified economic opportunities from technology and natural resources such as forestry and mining where he regularly makes the 30-minute drive to Binche daily have three children currently attending the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University for post-secondary studies Birdi was previously involved in forestry as well as the financial sector He is also a director of Community Futures Stuart Nechako encouraging entrepreneurs with taking their business dreams to reality Birdi enjoys outdoor activities such as canoeing that he describes as peaceful and an excellent way to spend time with family Do you have a comment about this story? email: rebecca.dyok@wltribune.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter 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The origins of the Binche festival are actually still uncertain the festival may be related to a parade organized by Mary of Hungary for her brother Charles Quint in 1549 which you can still see the remnants of by the Saint Ursmer Collegiate Church people were probably wearing colorful costumes which would later become the origins of the modern Gilles’ clothes are the main characters of the present carnival the Binche festival is closely related to Catholic Easter celebrations Catholics are supposed to fast during the 40 days before Easter the first day of this period being the Ash Wednesday because people are indulging a bit before the Lent period begins The most important of the Shrove days is Tuesday The carnival celebrations are so important that Belgium will spend all year preparing for them The societies organize soumonces during the six Sundays before the Shrove Sunday to make sure drummers and musicians are ready Men are proud to be Gilles and they spend a lot of money to respect the traditions Women also play an important role as they accompany the Gilles and oversee the organization of the festivities You can recognize those women by the funny decorated hats they wear that are different from one year to the other Pierrots and Harlequins get up early to put on their costumes and walk around the city center Each society wears costumes that are related to the same theme The costumes have been prepared in secret for many months and are mostly inspired by current affairs You can view the detailed costumes during the afternoon procession and/or during the late evening parties Shrove Sunday on the main square | Courtesy of Camille Delmarcelle Shrove Monday is dedicated to Binche Youth There are three associations of youth in Binche: the Catholic Youth they walk from café to café with the viola don’t miss the huge confetti battle in each bar in the city center the future Gilles are normally resting at home you might see some of them drinking Belgian beer around the main square costumed children are making the friendship rondeau join the Youth near the train station to admire the fireworks display under the sound of drums and the red light of bengal fires Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy After two days of music and fancy costumes, Binche people are ready for the most important and traditional day of the Carnival: Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras Almost everyone in Binche gets up before 4am to make the characters of the day come alive This is the only day in the year when you can see Gilles in Binche and they are able to become Gilles when they are just three years old They also put straw on their costume in order to look bigger This is one of the most special moments of the day — walking around in the dark usually consisting of Champagne and oysters all societies dance in the streets leading to the main square hold a ramon to mark rhythm and clap their sabots on the cobblestones to get rid of the winter chill Gilles dancing in the streets with musicians | Courtesy of Camille Delmarcelle the Gilles and the other children societies are invited by the mayor to the city hall Some of them receive medals for special service during which every character parades and throws oranges The Gilles are gorgeous with their hat made from ostrich feathers but you will only see them if it’s not raining every character forms a huge rondeau on the main square while musicians play carnival songs and the dancing shadows are reflected on the houses and the beautiful city hall This is one of the most emotional moments of the carnival because it means the end of festivities The Carnival ends with beautiful fireworks Binche festival is the opportunity to discover one of Belgium‘s most famous traditions – a unique folklore Tourists are coming from all over the world to see its traditional festivities dancing and having fun together during three days is a family tradition they could never miss oysters and the very best of Belgium folklore The Unesco commemoration plate | Courtesy of Camille Delmarcelle If you click on a link in this story All recommendations have been independently sourced by Culture Trip Read Next Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in November Guides & Tips The Best Places to Travel in August See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Autumn See & Do Lesser-Known Summer Destinations to Visit in Europe See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer Guides & Tips This Is Europe's Ultimate Road Trip See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in July See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in September See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Spring See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in October Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in December Guides & Tips Beat the Crowds with these Alternative Summer Destinations US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd. All Rights Reserved. which sees a final feast on fat foods amongst colourful celebrations 14 festive food traditions from around the world you’ll want to steal right now Explore a world of vibrant stories in the Celebrating Pride Collection Insight and Dateline celebrate 50 years of bold stories from home and across the globe Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s rider calls it a season on home turf. Tuesday was a day of celebration. For Remco Evenepoel, who got to wear the rainbow jersey in a race for the first time since conquering it more than a week ago in Australia, for Zdenek Stybar – whose time with the Wolfpack came to a conclusion after twelve beautiful years – but also for Iljo Keisse, who made another step towards retirement the moment he arrived at the finish of Binche-Chimay-Binche, hand in hand with Evenepoel. Belgium’s first World Champion in a decade was keen on postponing his holiday to compete one more time alongside Iljo, the man who guided him in the peloton ever since turning pro in 2019, but the 22-year-old Belgian didn’t stop at this and even spiced up the race with some of his trademark long-range attacks that split the peloton before eventually relenting and riding together with Keisse the last twenty kilometers of the race. I came here to see these amazing fans, to enjoy my first race in rainbow and to race alongside Iljo. We use these cookies, among other things, to know how many times a particular page is read. We only use this information to improve the content of our website. These cookies are only placed after you have given your consent. ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishCULTURE, TOURISM, SOCIETYCarnival celebrations in Binche mark 20 years of UNESCO recognition13 February 2024 At dawn on Tuesday to the beat of drums and accompanied by pipes the gathering of the Gilles in traditional costume began in Binche Mardi Gras is traditionally the biggest and most popular day of the Hainaut town’s Carnival celebrations After a traditional breakfast of oysters and champagne the performers were received by the town’s authorities with the Gilles wearing ostrich feather hats and offering oranges to the crowd The participants gathered for traditional celebrations in the Grand-Place at 17.30 ahead of fireworks to mark the end of the carnival Some 1,200 performers took part in the festivities in Binche which is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its recognition as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO The chain catcher is also given rainbow detailing Evenepoel at the start of Binche-Chimay-Binche Belgian makes his first competitive outing as world champion at Binche-Chimay-Binche lining up at Binche-Chimay-Binche on Tuesday in his new rainbow kit aboard a special-edition Specialized bike.  The 22-year-old had intended to end his season straight after the World Championships but his stunning solo victory which followed his success at the Vuelta a España led him to Tuesday's one-day race to show off his new colours on home Belgian soil.  With fewer than 10 days between his world title and Binche-Chimay-Binche there was a tight turnaround for sponsors to put together the new kit and bike.  In fact, Evenepoel was presented with both on Sunday during a public celebration in front of huge crowds in Brussels' main square.  He has been handed a custom paint-job for his Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 bike, which is the US company's flagship all-round race bike and is considered by many among the best road bikes with only subtle hints of the rainbow design that signifies world champion status and black colours appear on the back of the seatutube while other hints appear on the front derailleur and the head unit mount.  Evenepoel has personal engravings throughout the frame On the toptube there's a special globe-themes logo along with the words 'World Champ MMXXII' and his name The seatstays bear the message 'Legends are built not born'.  It is possible Evenepoel will receive a new design for the start of the 2023 season as has been the case with his teammate and predecessor Julian Alaphilippe in the past two years Evenepoel has a traditional white jersey with the rainbow bands across the chest QuickStep has pride of place above the bands but there's no such privilege afforded to co-title sponsor AlphaVinyl who are stepping aside at the end of the year they have a small vertical logo towards the side of the jersey.  Evenepoel has paired the jersey with black shorts He has a black version for training kit as well as black outer layers.  He also has a custom helmet from Specialized and new white sunglasses Evenepoel has indicated he is racing Binche-Chimay-Binche to engage with fans rather than score his first victory as the world champion He'll also be rubbing shoulders with Belgian veterans Philippe Gilbert and Iljo Keisse as they make the final steps of their careers having highlighted the roles they played in his own development.  but just to enjoy and to show my jersey to the people," Evenepoel said on Monday It's more a kind of thank you to the people for the support all year I'll just try to enjoy it as much as possible." Patrick FletcherSocial Links NavigationPatrick is a freelance sports writer and editor He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish) Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023 Sign In Register Belgium (AP) — On a sunny winter morning heralding a radiant Mardi Gras Beatrice and Karl Kersten don’t have a minute to spare In their warm workshop decorated with ancestral photos the couple bend over their sewing machines They are busy putting the finishing touches to the delicate lace details adorning the carnival costumes that will send a whole town into rapture once paraded through the cobbled streets of Binche now in charge of the family business in the medieval western Belgian town After a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic that brutally brought one of Europe’s oldest Mardi Gras celebrations to a halt — and the Kerstens to the verge of bankruptcy — celebrations are back with a vengeance this winter “There is a real excitement and enthusiasm,” said Quentin ”People came much earlier to reserve their costumes than in other years.” The earliest records of the Binche Mardi Gras Many Belgian towns hold ebullient carnival processions before Lent But what makes Binche unique are the “Gilles” — local men deemed fit to wear the Mardi Gras costumes Under rules established by the local folklore defense association only men from Binche families or resident there for at least five years can wear the Gille costume the Pierrot or the Gille’s Wife — also play a role in the carnival The UNESCO-listed event starts three days before Lent and reaches its climax on Mardi Gras when the Gilles — in wax masks sporting green spectacles and thin moustaches — dance in their wooden clogs to the sound of brass instruments and clarinets until the early morning hours “The carnival is really the soul of the city of Binche so we have been really sad over the past two years” said Patrick Haumont a town hall staffer who often takes part in the celebrations rehearsals for the main parade have attracted more participants than usual excitement in the bars filling the town’s main square hits unprecedented levels “Instead of the one beer you would normally drink After the economic struggles of the pandemic years and amid pain from energy bills that went through the roof after Russia's invasion of Ukraine the people of Binche want to make this year’s carnival one for the ages Although taking part requires a big financial commitment — renting a Gille costume and a lavish ostrich-feather hat costs around 300 euros ($327) — some 1,000 Gilles are expected to parade through the narrow streets of brick row houses to the beat of the drum and the tinkling bells of their outfits We can see that there is a need,” Haumont said an 88-year-old member of the biggest Gilles company There are old-timers who have not participated for a long time who have returned The 35-year-old delivery driver does not want to wear the daunting traditional hat that weighs nearly 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) for his grand debut as a Gille The experienced Mostade had the solution pat “The solution is to find three men in your company with the same head size so you can alternate with the hat on," Mostade said as the two met for the first time this week and quickly engaged in a passionate conversation That need to get together again in a city where the Carnival creates a unique sense of belonging is a relief for the “louageurs" — the craftsmen making the costumes and renting them to the Gilles Quentin Kersten thought about calling it quits and starting anew as an electrician forgetting about the trips they envisaged for their retirement days to salvage their business instead “It was a catastrophe," Karl Kersten summed up Haumont marks his words: “For a regular carnival