Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team worked hard at the front all race long to bring back a breakaway that dwindled from five to three riders between kilometer 19 and kilometer 128. With 14km to go in the 151km race, the break was doomed thanks to the efforts of Team Sky and Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team. It appeared Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team was setting up Gerald Ciolek for a bunch sprint situation at that point. However, the final few kilometers proved to be chaotic, as there was a gentle incline at the 3km to go mark. The course hit a plateau with 200 meters before the 2km mark, and then it was downhill to the final km. Just before the finish, there was a slight up kick in the course before going downhill again to the line. Teams who knew the course well chose to attack with the varying terrain.
Unfortunately for Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team, the leadout train for Ciolek ended up on the wrong side of the course during the aggressive work from other teams. Bad position kept the team out of sprint contention.
Gianni Meersman (Lotto-Belisol) won the stage, with Greg van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) and Matti Breschel (Rabobank) taking second and third, respectively.