Belkin's Mark Renshaw took the opening stage of the Eneco Tour in Belgium.
This annual race in Belgium and Holland, which again attracted a top class field including 2012 Tour De France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins, 2013 Tour De France four stage winner Marcel Kittel and World Champion Philippe Gilbert, started in Koksijde with a 173km stage to Ardooije.
Laurens De Vreese (Topsport Vlaanderen), Pieter Jacobs (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Benjamin Verraes (Accent Jobs-Wanty) were the early escapers and amassed a lead of over eight minutes with fifty kilometres gone.
De Vreese took the first climb of the day on a sunny day and Verraes took the first sprint with forty kilometres remaining.
With two laps of a fifteen kilometre finishing circuit remaining, the trio were 2.08 clear.
Jacobs took the second sprint with 25kms left before the front trio sat up and shook hands and were absorbed back into the peloton which was working towards the final sprint of the day with nine kilometres remaining. Last year's winner Lars Boom of Belkin took the three seconds which were up for grabs.
All that was left was the battle for the finish line and it was Belkin's Mark Renshaw who opened up a thirty metre gap with a kilometre to.go and he won ahead of a bunch sprint lead by Greipel and Nizzolo in 4.01.14.
Bradley Wiggins in a group with Berni Eisel, some 3.50 down.
Renshaw takes the leaders jersey going into the second stage and has a ten second lead.