BMC's Greg Van Avermaet has won the fifth stage of the Eneco Tour.
A 165km stage starting and finishing in Geraardsbergen saw Matteo Trentin (OPQ), Jens Debusschere (LTB), Ivan Rovni (TCS), Pablo Lastras (MOV) in an early attack on a stage which was won last year by Zdenek Stybar, who has been forced out of this year's race following a crash.
The cobbles had provided a thrilling fifth stage in the Tour De France and the Eneco Tour also used cobbles for its fifth stage with the famous The Mur cobbles being included three times in the stage.
With a hundred kilometres left, the quartet had a lead of 5.18 and thirty kilometres later and following an uncontested bonification sprint won Rovni, the gap was 4.26.
The four took on the tenth climb of the Dendarnoordberg and then the 1100m long The Mur climb and its cobbles in front of big crowds for the first of three times.
The peloton which included race leader Lars Boom were 3.09 down the four escapers on the start of the second of three laps.
With 31kms to go, the rain started to come down heavily and Rovni was dropped ad the peloton now with Philippe Gilbert on the front were 1.43 behind.
On the third lap, Gilbert attacked on The Mur but the group of favourites which included Boom, Keukeleire and Quinziato. soon had him back in the fold and they formed a chasing group. Behind them was another chasing group led by Geraint Thomas of Team Sky and Fabian Cancellera of Trek Factory Racing.
Into the last twenty kilometres and only Trentin and Lastras were left in the break with a 52 second lead as Dillier of BMC attacked again five kilometres later.
The front dup went into the final ten kilometres a minute ahead and were still 41 seconds clear, four kilometres later.
Belkin launched attacks and the front two were brought back. Laurens De Vreese of Wanty Group attacked with three to go , getting ahead of an elite group of about twenty riders.
De Vreese was trying to hang on but Pavel Brutt of Katusha came up and passed him inside the final kilometre.
Brutt was then passed and it was BMC's Greg Van Avermaet who won in 3.48.36.
Tom Dumoulin of Giant Shimano was second with Brutt third with Breschel fourth and Boom fifth. Geraint Thomas was seventh.
Tom Dumoulin, thanks to the bonuses and his win by two seconds now leads by two seconds.
Source: DSG
