Wanty Group's Dmitri Claeys has won the third stage of the Tour de Wallonie.
Tom Boonen retained the leaders jersey after stage two and led the riders out on this 200.6km stage from Braine-L'Alleud to Vielsam before taking a bonus second at the first intermediate sprint.
However, it was Boris Dron of Wanty Group, Vladimir Isaytchev of the Russian national team and Benoit Sinnier of the French Army team who formed the first break of this stage and they were 1.20 ahead with 130kms left and able to extend their lead to 3.45.
It was down to 1.53 with 27.7kms to go, only Isaytchev up front and the days main climb to come.
Isaytchev took the ten points on the climb as the peloton came back together on a warm day.
Five riders formed a break with ten seconds to go and got twelve seconds clear before the final climb.
Two riders in Dries Deveyens of IAM Cycling and Thomas Degand of Wanty Group were next to get clear and they stayed away until a group of twenty riders caught them inside the final killometre.
The stage ended up in a photo finish and it was Dmitri Claeys who won in 4.37.00 ahead of Gianni Meersman and Jonathan Hivert and Arnaud Demare.
"It was very difficult and I lost a team mate in the crash yesterday but i have won today," said Claeys. "My team worked hard for me today and our tactics were great today."
Gianni Meersman now leads the race on countback from Claeys.