Team Sky's Mark Cavendish finished second on the third stage of the SterZLMToer in Holland this afternoon.
This 188.8km stage left Verviers at 12.30pm local time heading for La Gileppe in Belgium.
Nelson Oliveira (RNT), Jaroslaw Marycz (SAX), Marco Haller (KAT) and Dion Beukeboom (RIJ) were first away, building up a lead of 3.50 with 40kms gone.
Radio Shack rider Oliveria took the opening King Of The Mountains climb before Dion Beukeboom was first to the opening sprint.
With 74kms gone, the riders moved on to the climb at La Rossier and this time Marco Haller (KAT) took the full points on offer.
After Jeffrey Wiersma (MET) and Takashi Miyazawa (SAX) abandoned with 94kms gone, the quartet's lead at the front of the race had gone out to four minutes.
They moved onto La Redoute, which is a staple of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege race. Dion Beukeboom took the points there as the four leaders had a two minute gap on two pursuers, 2'20 on the first part of the peloton and 2'50 on the second part of the peloton containing race leader Mark Cavendish.
A crash followed and Wim de Vocht (ACC) had to be taken to hospital as the escapers increased to six with Nelson Oliveira (RNT), Jaroslaw Marycz (SAX), Marco Haller (KAT), Dion Beukeboom (RIJ) Jan Bakelants (RNT) and Ben Hermans (RNT) all at the front whilst Team Sky controlled the peloton.
At Spa, by the Spring Water factory, Jaroslaw Marycz (SAX) took the next sprint and two kilometres later, there was a King Of The Mountains climb which was won by Jan Bakelants who had finished second on the sprint.
As the peloton started to catch up with some of the escapees, Ben Hermans and Marco Haller attacked with 148kms gone.
Hermans took the fifth sprint of the day before Jan Bakelants caught him and went away on his own. He had opened up a 25 second gap on Hermans, Marycz and Haller as the stage entered its last twenty five kilometres.
The peloton closed in with only Bakelants and Hermans who was a minute and ten back still away.
Inside the final ten kilometres and Hermans was caught and Bakelant's lead was cut to thirty seconds and another ten seconds were chopped off that when he reached the four kilometres to go mark.
It had been a good attempt but the Radio Shack Nissan rider was caught inside the final two kilometres.
Team Sky took to the front with Mark Cavendish in prime position but he was just beaten by Lars Boom.
However, the provisional second place was enough to keep the Manx Man in the leaders yellow jersey.