Jens Debusschere of Lotto Soudal has taken victory on stage one of the 75th Tour de l'Eurométropole in Belgium.
A 164km stage from La Louvière to Chièvres, saw Alexis Gougeard of AG2R in the leaders jersey after his win in the prologue.
However, six riders in Antonini, Prémont, Geuens, Wertz, Julius and Vanoverberghe, formed the first break after the day and after getting four minutes clear, they were 3.15 ahead with 88kms to go with Prémont taking all three sprints.
With three finishing laps of 19.7kms to negotiate, the gap to the six out front was down to two minutes.
The peloton pressed on reducing the gap to just forty seconds with thirty five kilometres left and ten kilometres later, the escape had been dealt with.
Fifteen riders then tried to form a break and managed to get fifteen seconds clear and eight were still ten seconds clear with ten kilometres left.
It was down to Pim Lithgart, Wastyn, Wallays, Van Melsen and Le Gac but with four kilometres left, everyone was back together and it was down to a bunch sprint which Jens Debusschere won ahead of R Kreder, Dupont, Trusov, Roelandts, McLay, Verhelst, Van Genechten, Selig and Curvers.
Alexis Gougeard keeps the leaders jersey.