BMC Racing Team's Greg Van Avermaet was on the offensive in the final kilometers Friday at the Baloise Belgium Tour. But none of his moves were successful in holding off the charging peloton.

With five kilometers to go in the 201.1-km race, Van Avermaet was in a four-man move. But the quartet was brought back by the chasing efforts of Etixx-Quick Step. But just when the catch was made, Van Avermaet and Tiesj Benoot (Lotto-Soudal) slipped off the front. But the pair's freedom was short-lived, as everything came back together in the final 1.5 kms.

French national road champion Arnaud Démare (FDJ) took the stage win ahead of Stage 1 winner Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quick Step). Van Avermaet remained in the top 10, in sixth, as Matthias Brändle (IAM Cycling) kept the overall lead.

BMC Racing Team's Rohan Dennis, who had been sitting second overall, lost contact with the peloton in the final 20 kilometers and fell out of the top 10. Jempy Drucker, the third BMC Racing Team rider who was in the top 10, had a late tire puncture and also dropped out of the top 10. Campbell Flakemore retired from the race, suffering from fatigue.

"Not the result I was hoping for today, give it a try but caught back. 6th in GC with still 2 hard days in the Ardennes," Van Avermaet tweeted after the stage.