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Harelbeke Gallery: Van Avermaet out-kicks breakaway trio

A strong three-man breakaway escapes the peloton late in E3 Harelbeke, and Greg Van Avermaet proves to have the strongest sprint.

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Large crowds were on hand for E3 Harelbeke. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

There was an early six-man break, which was caught by a second group of riders that attacked the peloton with about 75 kilometers of racing left on the day. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

A number of crashes happened at E3 Harelbeke. Thomas Deruette got squeezed off the road and ended up in an irrigation canal. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Astana’s Matti Breschel gathered himself after hitting the deck in a Belgian village. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Plenty of road furniture on the way to Harelbeke. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal) crashed and had to abandon E3 Harelbeke. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Quick-Step’s Jack Bauer shared a drink with Marco Coledan (Trek-Segafredo). Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Coledan passd the bottle to Sky’s Christian Knees. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Movistar’s Dayer Quintana was another rider to suffer a crash during E3. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Tom Boonen got things going by setting a high pace up the Taaienberg followed by Daniel Oss and Peter Sagan. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Once over the Taaienberg, the peloton was strung out and Boonen had done his job to set up the next attack from Quick-Step. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Riding great form, Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step) took the opportunity to jump out of the group and launched his attack with about 70 kilometers to go. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Oliver Naesen (Ag2r La Mondiale), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), and Lukas Postlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) were able to follow Gilbert’s attack. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

A few other riders were able to work their way into the lead group including Sep Vanmarcke (Cannondale-Drapac). Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Later, Vanmarcke dangled back and forth between the front group and the chase. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

With the leaders about a minute up the road, Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin) put in some big efforts to organize a chase but did not receive much help. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Luke Durbridge (Orica-Scott) crested the Paterberg trying to stay in contact with the leaders. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Gilbert, Naesen, and Van Avermaet extended their lead to over two minutes and had plenty of time to consider tactics coming into Harelbeke. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Gilbert gave it a go on the final climb of the day. Van Avermaet was able to follow; Naesen was not. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Naesen was able to catch back on during the descent. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Durbridge and Postlberger found themselves in no-mans land unable to close the gap to the leaders. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

With one kilometer to go the three leaders slowed their pace, waiting to see who would lead out the sprint. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Naesen would lead out the sprint, but Greg Van Avermaet came around in the final meters to win E3 Harelbeke with Gilbert taking second. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Naesen applauded the efforts of his rivals and was happy to cross the line in third place. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

Olympic gold medalist Greg Van Avermaet won E3 Harelbeke and hopes to ride his top form all the way to the finish line at The Tour of Flanders. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com

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