Mark Cavendish won the second stage of the VDK-Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (Three Days Of De Panne) this afternoon in Belgium.
The longest stage of the race at 204.2kms from Oudenaarde - Koksijde (Marktplein) saw Eeckhout, Claeys, Mertens, Pozzo and Ireland's Matt Brammeier launch the first serious attack.
They had a lead of 7.20 before Mertens was dropped by the group with 89kms to go
Thirty kilometres later, they were caught and three new escapers in Gruzdev, Bazzana and Barbe took over.
Going into the final thirty kilometres and with Barbe having taken the second intermediate sprint, they had a lead of 1.13.
The gap continued to fall with Omega Pharma Quick Step on the front and as the final lap started with twelve kilometres to go, the gap was only thirteen seconds.
Gruzdev and Bazzana lasted for another four kilometres before a touch of wheels sent Lampre's Mattia Cattaneo to the ground.
Tom Boonen took to the front followed by his team mates which included Mark Cavendish. Andrei Greipel came to the front before he was elbowed out of the way and had to drop back.
Cavendish was in a group of four with just under two to go. They had a lead of a second but they were by Kiki.
Into the final turn and it was Greipel who went first but Mark Cavendish found the gap he was looking for and took the win, which is his seventh's ot the season and 96th of his career, in a time of 4.46.09, ahead of Viviani and Chicchi by half a bike length.
Picture http://instagram.com/p/XXckvvNENN/
Arnaud DeMaure is the new race leader going into the final two stages which will be held in De Panne on Thursday.
Cavendish said to Europsport after the race: "It was a question of timing. "I had to wait I did not kick out full out and thought I was going to be put into the barriers but the team led me out and I was delighted to win. "I rode for the guys yesterday and they paid me back today."