Lampre's Filippo Pozzato won the GP Ouest France in Poulay, Brittany, France.
This four day festival of cycling which had seen Marianne Vos win the Women's race, attracted a world class field for the UCI World Tour event.
Great Britain was well represented with Team Sky fielding Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard, Peter Kennaugh and Jonathan Tiernan-Locke, Movistar including Alex Dowsett and Adam Blythe starting for BMC whilst the heavy weights of Andy Schleck, Rui Costa, Sylvain Chavanel, Christophe Riblon, Alberto Contador, Lars Boom, Tommy Voeckler and John Degenkolb of Argo Shimano also took part.
The day saw Berhane (Europcar), Laengen (Bretagne Séché), Laborie (Sojasun) and Fouchard (Cofidis), became the main escapers and take a lead of 10'50'' to the peloton lead by Omega Pharma Quick Step.
The gap dropped to 8.37 as the escapers started on a five lap finishing circuit of 27kms around Poulet, some twenty kilometres from Lorient, using the D2, D178, D10, D204. D 769 roads.
Just before halfway, Radio Shack's Andy Schleck decided that he had had enough and got off his bike and abandoned.
With three laps to go, the escapers lead was down to 6.16 but by the time, the final lap was started, the riders were all back together.
Visconti, Wellens and Koren of Cannondale attacked with 13.2kms remaining and were clear as the race went through la Côte de Ty-Marrec, with BMC and Taylor Phinney controlling the peloton.
Phinney set up Greg Van Avermaet for an attack but up came Lampre's Filippo Pozzato to win the race ahead of Nizzol and Dumolin.