Andrea Gaudini of Astana has won the opening stage of the Eneco Tour.
The race which takes in both the Netherlands and Belgium started with a 181.9km stage which started and finished in Terneuzen.
It was a race which saw a number of those who took part in the Ride London Surrey Classic on Sunday, making a mad dash to reach the start line in Terneuzen.
When it did get underway, Gatis Smukulis of Katusha, Kenneth Van Bilsen of Topsport and Laurens De Vreese of Wantygroup were the first to attack.
With 100kms to go and with Gatis Smukikis having taken the first Primus Checkpoint Sprint, their lead had gone out to 6.40.
Janse Van Rensburg (Giant), David Howson (Orica) & Duchesne (Europcar) crashed with 66kms to go as the gap to the three leaders went down to 5.02.
Van Bilsen took the second sprint with 51.2kms left and adding that to his second place in the first sprint, he was in the Blue jersey.
Inside the final thirty kilometres, Smukikis took the three seconds at the Eneco Sprint Bonification as the lead to the trio went down to less than a minute thanks to good work from Team Sky and Orica Green Edge.
The escapers were caught with eighteen kilometres and Omega Pharma Quick Step with Gert Steegmans and Niki Terpstra took to the front.
Matt Goss and Sacha Modolo went down very heavily with 10.3kms to go as Fabian Cancellera went on the front with his Trek Factory team.
Lara Boem beat Alex Dowsett of Movistar and Philippe Gilbert in the final sprint with seven kilometres left as the pace went up.
Inside the final five kilometres and there was another crash in the peloton with Didier of BMC one of those went down before there were two more crashes with 3.7kms to go, again the result of something that appeared to have been spilt.
Those still on their bikes at the front were looking nervous as the stage went into Terneuzen.
Jens Van Rensberg shot away inside the final kilometre but was caught inside the line and Andrea Gaudini of Astana who won in 4.14.47 ahead of Yohanne Gene and David Cimotai.
Gaudini also takes the ten seconds bonus for winning the stage.