Stage three was a 213km ride from Wanze in Belgium to Porte du Hainaut in France and covered seven sets of cobbles, some of which are regularly used in the Paris-Roubaix race and a stage which beforehand had caused some of the riders plenty of concerns.
Early on a group of six riders which included Brit Steve Cummings (pictured below) went clear before the crashes started to occur.
An AG2R rider brought down six riders some 95.3km to the finish and 45km further down the road, Lotto rider and Englishmant Charles Weglius (pictured below) crashed into a hedge as five riders including Damino Counago.
Cummings did try to make a break just after the race had crossed into France for the first time but he was pegged back by yesterday's stage winner Sylvain Chavenel, Fabian Cancellera and a small group including Geraint Thomas.
This group built up a 1 min 43 second lead on the group containing 38 year old Lance Armstrong, who had a puncture.
Frank Schleck (pictured below) suffered a bad crash and looked to be out but his brother Andy was in the chasing group with Cadel Evans.
With ten kms to go, it was the Brandt Most Aggressive Rider of the day Garmin's Ryder Hesjeda who led from Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara.
Geraint Thomas (pictured below), a junior Paris-Roubaix winner, was having a cracking ride that was good enough to land him the Young Riders white jersey and was in the chase as Chavenel punctured.
Thor Hushovd (pictured above) was favourite out of the leading group to win the stage and he got to the line with Geraint Thomas in second, Cadel Evans third and Bradley Wiggins in eighth. Mark Cavendish rode well to come back and finish two minutes down.
Hushovd said to Eurosport after the race: "It was perfect for me, I'd liked the cobbles and the stage in my mind for a long. I am happy for myself and my team."
As for the Yellow Jersey, Fabian Cancellera is back in the lead, soem 23 seconds ahead of second placed Geraint Thomas.
Stage Four tomorrow is 153.5km long and from Cambrai to Reims and you can see the race on British Eurosport (12.15 start) and ITV4.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM