This caused a heightened security level in Belgium and led to the possibility that the race would be cancelled.

It began with a long flat section that took the riders generally east from Roeselare and into Waregem; it then left the town and went south.

At Avelgem, the course turned back east again to cross the first climb, the Nieuwe Kwaremont, after 92 kilometres (57 mi).

The breakaway took half an hour's racing to form, with Alexis Gougeard (AG2R La Mondiale), Jesper Asselman (Roompot–Oranje Peloton), Alex Kirsch (Stölting Service Group), Phil Bauhaus (Bora–Argon 18), Igor Boev (Gazprom–RusVelo), and Kevin Van Melsen (Wanty–Groupe Gobert) forming a six-man breakaway and built a lead of up to eight minutes.

Preben Van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen–Baloise) and Kenneth Vanbilsen (Cofidis) made unsuccessful attempts to escape from the peloton, with Etixx–Quick-Step chasing hard and bringing the breakaway's advantage down to three minutes.

Mike Teunissen (LottoNL–Jumbo) attacked from the peloton and was joined by Jonas Rickaert (Topsport Vlaanderen–Baloise) and Luke Durbridge (Orica–GreenEDGE).

He was caught with around 250 metres (820 ft) remaining, leaving a group of 34 riders to sprint for the finish.