Lotto Soudal's Kris Boeckmans has won the 47th Le Samwyn classic race.
This annual race of 201.2kms from Quaregnon to Dour comprised of a 24.7km long local circuit, which the riders in a strong field race over four times and in this circuit are three sections of cobbles.
Ludwig De Winter (Wallonie), Gatis Smukulis (Katusha) and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) broke away early and soon had a lead of four minutes on the peloton.
That lead extended to 6.30 with 120kms left and then 7.40. but going into the final forty kilometres, Thomas De Gendt was up front on his own having gone away with 55kms left, some 2.11 ahead of the peloton.
The gap continued to fall rapidly and was down to 1.42 for De Gendt in his second race of the season with 35kms left.
Gatis Smukulis had been in second place but he was brought back by the hoardes led by Katusha, who were a minute down when they started on the 750m Rue Du Bellevue section of cobbles.
De Gendt started the final lap with a lead of forty seconds but with 21.5kms to go, De Gendt sat up and allowed a splinter group of seven riders including Jimmy Engoulvent of Europcar, Boris Dron, Gougeard, Petit and Lagutin and Tosh Van Der Sande come off the front of the peloton and pass him.
They started to open a gap on the peloton before Van Der Sande punctured on the cobbles.
With 12.1km, Adrien Petit of Cofidis went off on his own as the rest of the break were caught by the Etixx led peloton.
Petit was caught as the speed ramped up but stayed near the front as Etixx led a small group on the Rue Du Bellevue section of cobbles for the final time.
Vandenbergh was leading as they got back onto the road and this group of eight went under the flam rouge.
Etixx tried to lead out Gianni Meersman but Kris Boeckmans went at the right time and won in 4.50.02 ahead of Meersman, Christophe Laporte of Cofidis, Tiesj Benoot and Yves Lampaert.
Chantaal Blaak of Boels-Dolman won the women's race beating Anna van der Bruggen and Emma Johansson.