Philippe Gilbert won the Eneco Tour of the Benelux Countries third stage this afternoon.
Stage three took the race into the Ardennes region of Belgium after moving on from the Flanders region.
Four riders including three sprinters broke away on the 191.2km stage from Heers to Andenne and as they came through Andenne to start the final 62km lap, they had a lead of just over four minutes of the peleton which included race leader Taylor Phinney and third placed David Millar (pictured below).
A couple of riders had accidents including a Vacansoleil rider who had to have his hand bandaged after falling heavily and Garmin's Gabriel Rasch hitting a wall.
Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen took the final sprint stage to give him the same time as the race leader and he was at the front with Philippe Gilbert (pictured below)
With seven kilometres to go on the final climb of the day, Gilbert on his home turf went away. David Millar followed but the Belgian who is probably the rider of the season, got twenty seconds clear.
Gilbert took the win in a time of 4hr 54 mins and 52 seconds to take the victory and the ten bonus seconds on the line to give him the race leaders jersey. Grega Bole was second nine seconds back.
Geraint Thomas came in a group some four minutes and fifty one seconds back.
Stage four tomorrow is a 14km time trial around Roermond.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM