BMC's Greg Van Avermaet has won the GP Impanis-Vanpetegem in Belgium.
This second race in the Vlaanderen region of Belgium was a 196.8km race from Brakel to Aankmost.
A lumpy course saw Van der Sande, Golas, Van Avermaet, Cardis, Timmer, Dall Antonia, Schillinger, De Ketele, Kerf and Dernis, some five minutes ahead after 43kms.
That lead had decreased by thirty seconds with 88kms left and was down to two minutes for the lead group, which had shed De Ketele, Kerf and Dernis and were being chased by Meersman, Jerome, Olivier, Sinkeldam, Slagter, De Buyst, Leukemans and Janssens.
The chase group continued to close in but Greg Van Avermaet of BMC, who had won the midweek GP Wallonie, was able to sprint faster than Tosh van der Sande (Lotto-Belisol) and Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) to take the win.
"We just gave it all to stay in front to the finish and that is what happened," Van Avermaet said to the BMC team press office. "It was a goal to do some good preparation for the worlds, so for me it went perfectly."
The race was the last ever of Thor Hushovd who finished 48th and the BMC rider and former World road race champion said: It is a strange feeling and it is kind of sad in one way," he said. "There is a lot of emotion. But I am really in a good place and proud of my career. It has been a great 15 years."