Nacer Bouhani of FDJ won the Coupe de France GP Denain.
A 1.1 event on the UCI World Tour in Northern France around the Valenciennes area, first won by Irishman Seamus Elliott in 1959 and last won by FDJ's Arnaud Demare and saw Parinello, Perrichon, Cecchinel, Backaert, Rostollan & Dufrasne the escapers on this 197.3km long race, which is part of the French championship and one which featured five pro tour teams in AG2R, Katusha, Europcar, FDJ and Lotto and 152 riders.
A lead of 3.38 had dropped to under two minutes with seventy kilometres to go, heading towards the fourth of fifth sprints.
The break started to fracture with Antonino Parrinello of Androni and Jonathan Dufrasne of the Wallonne-Bruxelles team, going away on their own with a 53 second lead over the other escapers and 1.40 over the peloton.
Dufrasne took the final sprint with 35 kilometres to go as their lead steadied at 1.17.
On the last three twenty kilometre finishing laps around Denain, Parrinello and Jonathan Dufrasne were caught with 18.7kms to go.
The sprint trains of FDJ, Lotto and AG2R came forward to do the work as the finish line got ever closer. Europcar led going under the flam rouge with Jimmy Engoulvent leading.
No-one seemed to be willing to make the first move, so Nacer Bouhani grasped the mettle and stormed away to win in 4.36.40. Matteo Pelucchi of IAM Cycling was second ahead of Chicchi, Kenny Van Hummel and Hutarovich.