Peter Sagan won the opening stage of the VDK-Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (Three Days Of The Panne) in Belgium.
This annual classic race started with a 199.8km stage from Middelkerke to Zottegem and saw 181 riders including Mark Cavendish start.
Four riders in Haller, Reijnen, Barbe and Bennett were the opening escapers and had a lead of 6.45 with 65kms gone.
An Post's Sam Bennett took the first sprint of the day before the quartet fractured and Barbe and Haller went away together with a lead of 3.49.
With 65kms, the peloton were closing in on Reijnen and only ninety seconds behind the front two, who were tackling the Ten Bosse climb.
Vaikus and Bennett led a five man charge to bring back the two out front and caught them with 50kms to go,
With one forty five kilometre lap of Zottegem to go, the peloton were 1.07 down.
Again the leading group fractured and Europcar's Gaudin broke away on the cobbles. Sylvain Chavanel of the Omega Pharma Quick Step team chased after him whilst team mate Mark Cavendish continued to work hard for his team at the front of the peloton.
The break was caught with 16kms to go and Belgian national champion Tom Boonen took over at the front.
Peter Sagan took to the front with seven to go and he was immediately followed by Chavanel, Terpstra and Gatto,
The front group had a 12 second group with 3kms left. The cat and mouse between Sagan and Chavanel started.
Under the flam rouge, Segan was in second on a tight road with houses on either side. Segan attacked but drifted across and won in a time of 5.00.28 ahead of Arnaud Demare, Kristoff and Chavanel.
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