Alexander Kristoff of Katusha has won the opening stage of the Three Days Of De Panne Race in Belgium.
The opening stage which started with a minute's silence for Wanty Group rider Antoine Demoitié and Roubaix Lille Metropole's Daan Myngheer, who have both sadly passed away over the last few days, was a 198.2km stage from De Panne to Zottegem and featured 11 hills and at the end two laps of 48km with each lap containing four climbs.
The first sprint came early and was taken by Danny Van Poppel before Taylor Phinney of BMC took the climb at Heuvel Edelare and Loic Vilegen the climb at Berendries Klim and Van Poppel took the second sprint with 86kms left.
The peloton split again and this time, there were sixteen riders with a lead of 1.10.
Alexy Lutsenko of Astana took the third sprint on a stage where there were a number of crashes included Jens Debusschere who fractured two bones in his back.
Lutsenko was in a quartet with Luke Rowe of Team Sky, Alexander Kristoff and Lieuwe Westra with a 42 second lead going onto the De Mur.
Rowe punctured on the climb with 18.7kms to go and was caught by Pedersen as the trip took a lead of 59 seconds going into the final ten kilometres.
That lead was at 56 going under the flam rouge. Kristoff continued to lead out and with 175 metres to go. He made his move to take the win in 4.22.34 ahead of Lutsenko and Westra.
"It was really hard. I did not feel strong. I tried to contribute but did not have the legs but I managed to survive and managed to win but I was really really struggling, said Kristoff who won the race last year about the stage win in this year's race."