Niki Terpstra wins Tour of Flanders

Dutchman Niki Terpstra completed a personal cobbled classics double by winning the prestigious Tour of Flanders on Sunday.

Four years after triumphing at Paris-Roubaix - another of cycling's five 'Monument' one-day races - the Quick-Step rider launched a daring solo breakaway with 25km left to take a hugely impressive victory.

The 22-year-old Dane Mads Pedersen was 12 seconds behind in second with last year's winner Philippe Gilbert of Belgium, also of Quick-Step, third at 17sec.

"Winning Paris-Roubaix and now the Tour of Flanders, for me it was always a big dream," said an emotional Terpstra.
"When I was a kid, I was crazy for these races. I can't describe how happy I am."

With all eyes on world champion Peter Sagan, Olympic gold medallist Greg Van Avermaet and last year's winner in Flanders Gilbert, Terpstra took his chance to slip away and take another major victory.

In the past, Terpstra has had to play second fiddle to illustrious team-mates like three-time Flanders winner Tom Boonen and Gilbert, but he insisted he deserved this success.

"It's not only Boonen and Gilbert, but the whole team has quality behind it," said the 33-year-old.

"Sometimes you give something and sometimes you get something back, like last year. I was third here and I was the break (foil) for Gilbert, who was in front.

"The whole year around I try to be a good teammate but now the luck is on my side - all the work I put into the team, I get it back now."