Alexander Kristoff of Katusha has won the Scheldepriijs race in Belgium.
This 204km classic race from Antwerp to Shoten, attracted the big names including 2012 Tour Fe France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins and one of the race favourites in Geraint Thomas of Team Sky.
it took around thirty kilometres for the break to get established and when it did, Laurens De Vreese (Astana), Frederik Backaert (Wanty), Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis), Matteo Busato (Southeast), Vincent Jérôme (Europcar), Huub Duyn (Roompot), and Tanner Putt (UHC) were in that break.
They took a lead of 2,30 after seventy five kilometres over a peloton which was halted with just over a hundred kilometres to go by a level crossing.
That and the taking of natural breaks saw the lead go out to 3.15 before dropping to 2.30 for the final ninety kilometres.
Past the rows of tractors whose owners are protesting at cycling races in Belgium, the riders went over the cobbles in Broekstraat and then over the finish line in Shoten for the first time with three local laps of 16.4 kilometres with the leaders ahead by 1.17.
By the time they started on the bell lap, the gap was forty seconds as the riders went under an air bridge which was being held up by spectators after collapsing.
De Vreese attacked on his own but the sprint trains including that of Team Sky were after him.
In the final kilometre, there was a massive crash when a Tinkoff-Saxo rider and Astana rider came together. Elia Viviani was one who suffered a broken collar bone.
This held up most of the peloton and only a small group of twenty riders was left to contest the sprint which was won by Alexander Kristoff of Katusha, followed by Edward Theuns of Topsport, Hutarovich, Sarreau, D Van Poppel, Trentin, Marini , Van Staeyen, Farrar and Pfingsten.