Marcel Kittel was triumphant in the opening stage of the 67th Tour de Picardie.
This annual 532km race over three days and won by Ben Swift in 2012 and John Degenkolb in 2012, started with a 190km stage from Guise to Flixecourt.
Rostollan, Vandousselaere, Joeaar, Paiani and Kowalski took a lead of seven minutes but with sixty kilometres to go, that was down to 2.50 on a day when speeds were even slower than those estimated in the riders handbook.
The gap was down to thirty seconds as the five escapers emarked on the final circuit around Flixecourt and with six kilometres to go, Rostollan, Vandousselaere, Joeaar, Paiani and Kowalski day on the front was over.
The stage came down to a sprint and it was Marcel Kittel who rode to victory beating Coquard and Corbel. Omega Pharma Quick Step's Andy Fenn was sixth.