Niki Terpstra has said that "Max Verstappen's attitude is an example for many cyclists" - though hopefully, he's not suggesting you brake test your mates on your Sunday ride.

Terpstra is a big fan of Red Bull's Verstappen, both of them are Dutch after all. Terpstra will apparently be glued to the TV for the final race of the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi where Verstappen goes head-to-head with British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton with both drivers on exactly the same points.

Terpstra (TotalEnergies) himself often takes part in the BMW Cups, too.

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In an interview with Wielerflits Terpstra said: "I can say that I follow it intensely. I really watch every Grand Prix. During the season it often doesn't come out, because I'm in a race."

Verstappen was handed a ten-second time penalty following the weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, following confirmed illegal braking, which resulted in competitor Lewis Hamilton contacting his Red Bull car. However, this wasn't quite the fighting spirit Terpstra is advocating. 

When asked about what cyclists could learn from Verstappen, Terpstra said: "That you always have to go for it. You see in Max that he tries to get the most out of every round. I really admire that he never lets go of that attitude. He can be an example for cyclists to get the best out of everything. By seeing opportunities at every moment and by fully committing to them. That is a good attitude if you want to be successful."

But the Dutch rider still has respect for Hamilton who has the joint record for the most World Drivers Championships along with Michael Schumacher on seven.

"I have a lot of respect for Hamilton. Getting to the top is hard, but staying at the top is much harder. Hamilton has already won so much and experienced so much. 

"You see in the last races that Hamilton does not give up easily. He still had a nice gap, but managed to clear it completely before the last GP next Sunday in Abu Dhabi. He is super motivated to win the championship again. I really respect that."

Terpstra's 2021 season's results were not as illustrious as those from his former Quick-Step days, but he has managed to get a contract extension before the arrival of another superstar, Peter Sagan, in the team.

Peter Sagan has said he is keen to speak to Niki Terpstra if the Dutch rider wishes to continue with the team as Sagan says he would bring "great value" to the Classics team.

Sagan, who is joining Team TotalEnergies in 2022 from Bora-Hansgrohe, wants the two-time Monument winner Niki Terpstra to stay at the French team if he wants to continue racing.

In an interview with RIDE Magazine, Sagan said: "I heard rumours that Niki wanted to end his career after this season. But if he wants to continue his career, I definitely want to talk to him."

Terpstra was signed in 2019 as one of the big-name leaders for the French UCI ProTeam but a series of nasty crashes and injuries have meant that he has not performed the way he would have liked.

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This has led to rumours that the 37-year-old rider may be looking to retire at the end of the season, although he recently had a good finish at the Arctic Race of Norway where he finished second on the final stage behind Philipp Walsleban (Alpecin-Fenix) as well as second in the mountain standings.

"Certainly with a view to the Flemish classics, he can be of great value," continued Sagan. "Niki is an experienced man in the spring races. He could play an important role in the team. But of course, it's not my decision whether he can stay. The team has to make that decision."

Terpstra has won both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, as well as multiple semi-Classics, during his time at Deceuninck - Quick-Step but has struggled since leaving with his best result in a while coming at the recent Arctic Race.

Speaking to Wielerflits, Terpstra said: "I'm super happy to be able to ride a final again - It's been a while since I was able to do that. That's the most beautiful thing there is. It's what I live for, and I enjoyed it. I had that kick again today and I'm happy with that."

Sagan is bringing riders Daniel Oss, Maciej Bodnar, Juraj Sagan and Erik Baska across from Bora-Hansgrohe, as well as multiple staff members, as the team tries to step up to the UCI WorldTour.

Niki Terpstra has set himself the "realistic goals" of racing the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix after a horror crash during training in mid-June.

The Dutchman suffered a collapsed lung, broken ribs and collarbone and a concussion after geese walked out in front of him while he was doing high-speed motor-pacing in the Netherlands.

The Total Direct Energie rider is now back training and will aim for the cobbled Classics scheduled for October, the 36-year-old having won Paris-Roubaix in 2014 and the Tour of Flanders in 2018.

After starting rehabilitation treatment with a physiotherapist, Terpstra got back on the bike for the first time in weeks, then joining up with his team-mates at a training camp in the Dordogne region of France.

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"Because I can expand my training step by step, I decided to join the training camp of my team. At certain times of today's training, I regretted that decision," Terpstra said, his sense of humour still intact despite his misfortune. "But I'm happy to see everyone again."

It's been an unlucky couple of years for Terpstra, who crashed out of the 2019 Tour of Flanders as he looked to defend his title, suffering severe head trauma that kept him in hospital overnight as a precaution.

The Dutchman was then unable to take the start line of Paris-Roubaix as he recovered from the crash, before also crashing out of the Tour de France on stage 11 that summer with a fractured scapula.

Before the coronavirus break, Terpstra raced the Saudi Tour, Ruta del Sol, the opening weekend in Belgium and Paris-Nice.

The Tour of Flanders will take on Sunday October 18, during the Giro d'Italia, while Paris-Roubaix, a week later on October 25, sets up a 'super Sunday' of cycling, as the final stage of the Giro and Tourmalet stage of the Vuelta a España also take place.

Niki Terpstra is out of hospital after a high-speed motor-pacing crash.

The 36-year-old was training behind a scooter in the Netherlands last week when geese walked in front of him, causing a crash.

Terpstra was left in intensive care with a collapsed lung, a concussion, broken ribs and a broken collarbone.

But the Total Direct Energie rider has been released from hospital sooner than expected.

His wife Ramona told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: “The recovery is going better than expected.”

Last week, Ramona explained how the crash happened: “In an effort to avoid the crash he dived at high speed, went off the road and flew into a deep ditch through the embankment where he landed with his chest against a boulder.”

Terpstra was taken to hospital by air ambulance after he crashed on the embankment between Lelystad and Enkhuizen.

His Total Direct Energie team said on Twitter: “After a heavy fall in training today, our leader Niki Terpstra was rushed to the hospital.

“Despite severe injuries, he is conscious and out of danger. The whole team wishes to support him.

“Courage Niki, we are thinking of you.”

It’s still too early too say when Terpstra will be back to racing, but he had been targeting the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix on October 19 and 25.

SEG Cycling said on Twitter: “Good news on father’s day – Niki Terpstra leaves hospital today and can start recovery at home. We kindly ask everyone to give our champ and his family all the rest and privacy they need in the coming period.”

Terpstra has suffered a number of nasty crashes over last two seasons, having suffered a severe concussion in the 2019 Tour of Flanders and then being forced to skip Paris-Roubaix.

He was back on the bike in time for the Tour de France, but was forced to abandon on stage 11 after he crashed on the road from Albi to Toulouse and suffered a broken collarbone.

Terpstra had a busy 2020 season before all racing was suspended due to coronavirus, as he raced the Saudi Tour, Ruta del Sol, Opening Weekend and Paris-Nice.

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The Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders winner has been with Total Direct Energie for two seasons, having left Quick-Step at the end of 2018 after eight years.

Niki Terpstra was left in intensive care after a high-speed training crash.

The Classics star was training behind the scooter when geese walked out into his path, causing him to fall.

Terpstra, 36, was taken to hospital with a collapsed lung, a concussion, broken ribs and a broken collarbone, according to his wife Ramona.

She said on Instagram: “He’s not in mortal danger, but will need time to recover from this.

“He’s in the hospital and will have to stay here for a few more days.”

She then told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad: “Inn an effort to avoid the crash he dived at high speed, went off the road and flew into a deep ditch through the embankment where he landed with his chest against a boulder.”

Terpstra was taken to hospital by air ambulance after he crashed on the embankment between Lelystad and Enkhuizen.

His Total Direct Energie team said on Twitter: “After a heavy fall in training today, our leader Niki Terpstra was rushed to the hospital.

“Despite severe injuries, he is conscious and out of danger. The whole team wishes to support him.

“Courage Niki, we are thinking of you.”

Terpstra has suffered a number of nasty crashes over last two seasons, having suffered a severe concussion in the 2019 Tour of Flanders and then being forced to skip Paris-Roubaix.

He was back on the bike in time for the Tour de France, but was forced to abandon on stage 11 after he crashed on the road from Albi to Toulouse and suffered a broken collarbone.

Terpstra had a busy 2020 season before all racing was suspended due to coronavirus, as he raced the Saudi Tour, Ruta del Sol, Opening Weekend and Paris-Nice.

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The Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders winner has been with Total Direct Energie for two seasons, having left Quick-Step at the end of 2018 after eight years.

Niki Terpstra (Direct Energie) is set to miss this year's Paris-Roubaix after crashing in Sunday's Tour of Flanders and suffering a severe head trauma, with the the rider kept overnight in hospital as a precaution.

Terpstra was looking to defend his Tour of Flanders title but was involved in a crash that knocked him unconscious with 157km left to race, as the peloton approached the Oude Kwaremont.

The Dutchman will now miss out on Paris-Roubaix this weekend, a race he won in 2014, according to a statement released by his management company.

SEG Cycling said on Twitter: "Niki Terpstra suffered a sever concussion during his crash in the Tour of Flanders. Unfortunately, this crash ended his spring season. Recovery is needed now."

Terpstra's wife, Ramona, thanked fans for their supportive posts on social media and confirmed her husband would be kept in the hospital overnight as a precaution. She said: "Thanks for all the posts! Just arrived at Niki in the hospital. He has a heavy concussion and will have to rest well for the time being. We'll stay a night here to be sure. I am particularly pleased that I can still cuddle him. They were anxious moments!"

The 34-year-old moved to Direct Energie from Quick-Step Floors at the start of the season but has had his spring campaign cut short after a string of strong performances in the early season. Cofidis rider Christophe Laporte was spotted checking on his rival and calling for medical help in the aftermath of the crash.

The three-time Dutch national road race champion posted on his Instagram story from his hospital bed, telling fans "I'll be back" whilst the rest of the peloton were still out on the road chasing down Bettiol who attacked from 17km to win his first ever pro race.

Niki Terpstra has crashed out of the Tour of Flanders as he looked to defend his 2018 title.

The Dutchman made the move to Direct Energie at the start of the season but didn’t appear to have lost any of his ability in the Classics.

After strong performances in the opening spring races, Terpstra’s campaign may have been cut short after he crashed out of Flanders.

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The 34-year-old was caught in a collision 157km from the line, as the peloton approached the Oude Kwaremont for the first time.

He looked to be in a bad way on the floor after the low speed fall, with medical staff treating him on the course, but his team said they have had "reassuring" news.

Terpstra was forced to abandon the race and was taken to hospital.

The crash throws also Terpstra’s Paris-Roubaix into doubt, as he looks to repeat his 2014 victory in the famous velodrome next weekend.

Direct Energie said on Twitter: “Terrible at 160km from the finish. A fall forced our leader Niki Terpstra to abandon.

“Niki is being transported to the hospital."

The team later added: “Reassuring news about Niki Terpstra who was able to regain his spirits after his fall.

“As soon as we have more news, we will communicate.”

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After Terpstra came down, Cofidis rider Christophe Laporte was seen checking on his rival and calling for medical help.

Terpstra’s results this season show he hasn’t lost any ambition in the move to the Professional Continental ranks, finishing third in both Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and Le Samyn.

Direct Energie will be replaced by gas and oil giant Total as the main sponsor before Paris-Roubaix, according to French media.

The Pro Continental team, now home to double Monument winner Niki Terpstra, will see their main sponsor switch from utility provide Direct Energie to Total, the biggest company in France.

Total bought out Direct Energie last summer in a €1.4billion (£1.1billion) deal.

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According to French newspaper L’Equipe, the new sponsor will appear on the team kit at Paris-Roubaix on April 14, replacing the familiar black and yellow strip that has featured in the pro peloton since 2016.

The team has existed in a number of forms since 2000, including under the name Bougues Telecom before car rental firm Europcar came on board in 2011.

Team boss Jean-René Bernaudeau was then forced to search for a new sponsor in 2015, attracting Direct Energie as the main backer from 2016.

Riders for the outfit have included Frenchmen Sylvain Chavanel and Thomas Voeckler.

Most recently the team signed Classics star Niki Terpstra from Deceuninck – Quick-Step after the Dutchman won the 2018 Tour of Flanders.

Direct Energie is currently one of the teams waiting to learn if they have been given a wildcard spot in the 2019 Tour de France.

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Arkéa-Samsic and Vital Concept – B&B Hotels are also hoping to be given one of the two remaining places for Pro Continental teams.

Direct Energie missed out on a place at the Giro d’Italia this year as Israel Cycling Academy were welcomed back for a second year in a row.

The change of sponsor could lead to an increased budget for Direct Energie, which currently runs on around €10million, according to reports.

Total’s revenue was €244billion in 2018, compared with Direct Energie’s €1.99billion in 2017.

French media has speculated that Direct Energie could seek WorldTour status, joining France’s existing teams at the top tier, Ag2r La Mondiale and Groupama-FDJ.

This weekend heralds what for some is the most exciting period of the road season. On Saturday the majority of the best Classics riders will line up for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, while on Sunday many of us will spend a second day glued to the TV for Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.

And it’s not just the fans who love these gnarly races which traverse the cobbles and bergs of Belgium, plenty of the pro peloton look forward to this period with nervous excitement too.

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One of those is Niki Terpstra.

Though it could well be his focus, the Dutchman can come sometimes across as distant, even surly, but ask him about the spring Classics and his eyes light up. This is his time of year. A time when he has achieved his greatest successes.

Though he invariably manages to win at least one of these early season races each year, 2018 was a standout for the 34-year-old. Much like this year he began quietly at Valenciana and Oman, before bagging his first win at Le Samyn.

The ensuing weeks brought him victory at E3 Harelbeke, before he became the first Dutchman to win the Tour of Flanders for 32 years.

Those successes and so many others have come as a member of the all-conquering Quick-Step team which he joined in 2011, but before they could sign Deceuninck as title sponsor for 2019, Terpstra was poached by French outfit Direct Energie.

“Everybody was surprised by my decision when I announced it, it came out of the blue. But they showed a real interest in me,” he explained to a group of journalists in Oman last week, stressing that he remained happy at the Belgian team.

“At that moment Quick-Step couldn’t make me an offer because they didn’t have the sponsorship, so it was pretty simple. Things got late in the season, but we always had full contact through the season.”

Terpstra's trademark is the long distance attack, where he uses his huge engine to win solo, and such successes have often been possible because of the overwhelming strength of that Quick-Step squad.

Think his first Monument at the 2014 Paris-Roubaix when all eyes were on team-mate Tom Boonen until he launched his 14km solo effort.

Or last year’s Le Samyn where he and Philippe Gilbert’s repeated attacks left Damien Gaudin helpless, flailing in their wake.

Ironically Gaudin will be riding with Terpstra at Direct Energie this year, and he believes they can achieve success.

“The level is not as high as at Quick-Step of course, you can feel it at training camp, but I knew that and that is part of the adventure and why I wanted to go to this team. 

“They want to use my experience to improve the team, they want to make the step up. There is quality, some really strong guys, but they didn’t have the right focus in the Classics, now they say to me they are motivated because they have the goal to support me. It’s good to feel that support.

“I hope they will come pretty far into the final, but the most important thing is they get me in front in the important sections, but I think somebody [a team-mate] will be in the final. I think some guys can surprise.”

After so many years at one of the sport’s strongest teams, where he was one of many who could win, this year Terpstra will lead Direct Energie’s campaign, though he says that scrutiny has neither increased or reduced pressure.

“There is always pressure to perform, that was in Quick-Step and that is now. The difference is now I am the main focus of the team in my races, with Quick-Step there were also a few other riders,” he says, before playing down expectations for the upcoming races.

“I like to win but for sure, I want to be there and race for the results, and if I make the final and I can do something in the race for the final then I will be kind of satisfied. 

“But of course I like to score, I win some big races but I don’t win a lot because I am not that explosive, so if I win everything has to be perfect.”

The Belgian super team Quick-Step Floors "just didn't have the money" to keep star rider Niki Terpstra for the 2019 season.

The Dutchman, winner of this year's Tour of Flanders, announced on Thursday that he would join French team Direct Energie after eight years with Quick-Step Floors.

"It's not that I didn't want to pay him. I just didn't have the money," Quick-Step Floors team boss Patrick Lefevere told Het Nieuwsblad.

"He has a new house, two children, a wonderful family. I cannot blame him. Even though it hurts a lot for me."

Lefevere has been on the hunt for a new title sponsor to ease the burden on Quick-Step. Without that money, it becomes difficult to keep all the stars under his roof – which was the case with 34-year-old Terpstra.

Last year, Lefevere made similar shrewed moves by letting Marcel Kittel and Daniel Martin go to other teams. In 2018, he managed just fine. So far, the team counts 54 wins, more than any other team including Sky in second with 36.

Terpstra had been with the Belgian team since 2011, when he transferred from Milram, and could haul in the big wins. He did so in 2014 with Paris-Roubaix and this year, with a 26-kilometre solo move to win Flanders.

"He's seen as an arrogant bastard to some from the outside world, but in the team, Niki was seen as deadly. He created atmosphere, and he motivated the group. This is a big loss," Lefevere said.

"I must say that I have a lot of respect for Niki, because he waited so long for me. But we are now at the 15th of August. If a rider of that calibre waits a long time, he risks falling between the cracks. I do not have the money."

Terpstra also won Le Samyn and E3 Harelbeke this season. With a two-year deal at Direct Energie, Lefevere will put more weight on riders like Philippe Gilbert, Zdenek Stybar, Fernando Gaviria and Yves Lampaert in the cobbled Classics.

"We will try to absorb this with a natural succession," Lefevere said. "The road is now open for Yves Lampaert to take a step up. It is up to Yves to prove that he is ready for the job and that he can also achieve results in the top races."

Niki Terpstra's attack from 27km out to win the Tour of Flanders may not have been quite as spectacular as Philippe Gilbert's 55km solo move from 2017, but it was still a great victory which is now preserved on Strava for all to see.

Unfortunately Terpstra's Strava activity, which he has given the straightforward and understated title "De Ronde Van Vlaanderen", doesn't include either his heart rate or power data, but still gives an insight into a brutal race.

The headline stats and numbers tell the story of the race, with the opening couple of hours on flat roads as the peloton made its way south-west from Antwerp being run at a pretty steady speed of slightly over 40kmh for the first three hours before the first climb of the Oude Kwaremont.

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From thereon in, Terpstra's speed graph reflected the race profile with the constant hills and descents mirrored in the peaks and troughs of the Dutchman's speed.

Terpstra reached his highest speed of the race, 79.9kmh, on the descent of the Berendries with 109km remaining, before an absolutely rapid approach to the Muur van Geraardsbergen as the riders jostled for position and averaged 56.5kmh for the 5.6km prior to the climb.

Watch: Tour of Flanders 2018 highlights

However Terpstra bided his time before making the decisive move shortly after the top of the Kruisberg, which the group climbed at a fast pace coming close to the KOM.

Terpstra made his attack through a left-hand turn at the top of the climb, quickly accelerating up to 53kmh to bridge across to Vincenzo Nibali, before keeping the pressure on and keeping his speed at around 32kmh as the road rose up to 10 per cent to ride the Italian off his wheel.

The effect of more than 200km of racing is shown in Terpstra's times up the final two climbs of the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg where his relatively slow times reflect the state of his legs

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Terpstra climbed the Oude Kwaremont in 3-31, nearly 15 seconds slower than his KOM effort from E3 Harelbeke in 2016, and ascended the Paterberg in 1-22, a couple of seconds slower than earlier in the race and more than half a minute off the KOM. However the time was still pretty good for the day, with only a handful of riders ascending the final climb faster than Terpstra in the race itself.

Those of us watching on TV could see that the race already appeared to be won, but Terpstra took no risks on the final few kilometres to the finish in Oudenaarde, maintaining the pressure and holding an average speed of more than 46kmh for the flat final 7.5km towards the finish.

If this average speed wasn't impressive enough in itself, then bear in mind that this was completed after 260km of racing, with Terpstra only completing the final few kilometres a couple of seconds slower than Greg Van Avermaet and Wout Van Aert riding in a decent-sized chasing group behind.

Quick-Step with another tactically flawless race

Niki Terpstra’s (Quick-Step Floors) race-winning move was not the strongest attack of the 2018 Tour of Flanders. That was Peter Sagan’s (Bora-Hansgrohe) over the Paterberg, where, on the climb’s steepest section near the top - probably the most difficult and selective section in the whole race - the world champion rode every other rider in a chasing group of favourites off his wheel.

If that attack suggested that Sagan was probably the strongest rider in the race, the fact he ultimately finished in sixth was a reminder of how the Ronde is not a race won purely on sheer strength, but through the right tactics.

As they have done all spring, Quick-Step Floors played a blinder. Despite being surprisingly absent during the earlier ebb and flow of the race, once the business end was reached they controlled the race, firing of Terpstra and Zdenek Stybar at intervals to give the other teams something to chase.

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Eventually, shortly after the Kruisberg with around 25km to go, Terpstra responded to a move from Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), then set off alone when it became clear the Italian (who, on his debut Ronde, it was surprising to see still in play this late in the race) was too exhausted to contribute.

While his teammates Stybar and Philippe Gilbert were quick to cover whenever any of the chasing group tried to make a move, Terpstra was strong enough to catch and then immediately drop a leading breakaway trio on the Oude Kwaremont, then solo to victory.

It was a strategy that closely resembled Terpstra’s similar long-range wins this spring at E3 Harelbeke and Le Samyn, especially when Gilbert - who was second at both those races - sprinted from the group of favourites to join him on the podium in third.

Quick-Step Floors’ tactics were nothing new, but their rivals had found no answer to them.

A huge win for an under-rated rider

For most of his career, Niki Terpstra has ridden under the shadow of Tom Boonen. Since joining Quick-Step in 2011, he has been used in the classics teams as a ‘plan B’, impressing with his trademark long-range attacks, but generally seen as subservient to Belgium’s favourite son.

In many was the role has been to his advantage - for his previous monument win, the 2014 Paris-Roubaix, he was able to slip off the front as his rivals were preoccupied with marking Boonen, allowing the Dutchman to solo to victory.

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But this spring he has really come into his own, winning three classics over the past five weeks. Philippe Gilbert has ostensibly taken over Boonen’s role as leader, but in reality Quick-Step Floors look like a more egalitarian outfit in their first post-Boonen season, with Terpstra emerging as their strongest rider.

It would be easy to give too much praise to Quick-Step’s tactics and understate the individual quality of Terpstra’s win - to pull off such a powerful move and ride alone for the final 25km as the Dutchman did today requires extraordinary legs.

Terpstra has probably been underrated his entire career - now, with two cobbled monuments on his palmares, there’s no denying his class.

Mads Pedersen’s breakthrough ride

The ride of the day was arguably Mads Pedersen’s (Trek-Segafredo) sensational and entirely unexpected second place.

It wasn’t just the fact that the Dane, aged just 22-years old and up against the world’s best managed to podium on his debut Tour of Flanders - it was that he did so the hard way.

Pedersen was out in front from early in the day, having formed a leading group of three with Dylan van Baarle (Team Sky) and Sebastian Langeveld (EF Education First) prior to the key climb of the Koppenberg, 45km from the finish.

When Terpstra bridged up to the trio on the Oude Kwaremont, Pedersen - who one might have expected to be the weakest of the three - was in fact the only one to remain within touching distance of the Dutchman.

Though he never made it back up to Terpstra, the way he held off the chasing group of favourites in the finale, despite riding on his own with no support, was seriously impressive.

It had the feel of a star-making turn - look out for Pedersen to be a new star of classics racing.

Disappointing day for sky

Despite some early promise, Team Sky will be disappointed with the way the race panned out for them.

Van Baarle spent a significant portion of the race in the lead group, but did not have the same legs as Pedersen to hold and contest for a podium finish. Michał Kwiatkowski set the tempo on the first ascent of the Paterberg, but disappeared in the finale. Gianni Moscon made a few attacks, but missed the final selection.

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Luke Rowe was the least fortunate of all, being disqualified from the race for riding onto the pavement, when it seemed as though he was simply trying to avoid riding into some spectators.

It continues what has been a quiet classics campaign for Sky, but there’s still hope for redemption at Paris-Roubaix next week.

Anna van der Breggen triumphant again

The Tour of Flanders was one of the few major races Anna van der Breggen (Boels-Dolmans) had yet to win, and she put that anomaly to right in comprehensive fashion to win this year’s edition by over a minute.

The Dutchwoman attacked with 27km, with no other rider either alert enough or capable to cover the obvious danger.

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She soloed over the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg without ever suggesting she might tire, and comfortably maintained a lead of a minute over the group of chasers.

To seal a perfect day for Boels-Dolmans, Amy Pieters won the sprint for second.

Having also won the Strade Bianche earlier in the spring, Van der Breggen could be in for a huge haul of classics wins this spring, and currently looks like comfortably the best rider in the world.

Niki Terpstra (Quick-Step Floors) won the 2018 edition of the Tour of Flanders on Sunday, repeating his win at E3 Harelbeke by launching a long solo attack to claim the win.

Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) claimed second spot after doggedly surviving from an earlier escape group. Last year's champion Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) came home for third place to complete the podium.

Pre-race favourites Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) and Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) finished in fifth and sixth place respectively among a chasing group of pre-race favourites,

Terpstra's victory after a 45km solo move means that he becomes the first Dutchman to win the Tour of Flanders for 32 years.

Having also won Paris-Roubaix in 2014 and E3 Harelbeke earlier this month, the win establishes the 33-year-old as one of the foremost Classics riders of the current generation.

>>> Tour of Flanders 2018: Latest news, reports and race info

How it happened

The 2018 Tour of Flanders started in Antwerp under dark skies, but despite the wet roads there was a very fast start. So fast, that mp escape group was able to form for the first 70km of the race, despite a host of riders and small groups attempting to break free.

Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First) was one of several riders to get caught out by minor crashes caused by the slick surface and early-race nerves in the opening 50km. After enduring several bike and wheel changes, he somehow managed to stay with the bunch.

After 70km a group was finally allowed to break away from the peloton. Pascal Eenkhoorn (LottoNL-Jumbo) initiated the moves and was joined by Floris Gerts (Roompot-Nederlanse Loterij), Pim Ligthart (Roompot-Nederlanse Loterij), Ivan Garcia Cortina (Bahrain-Merida), Tom Devriendt (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Marco Haller (Katusha-Alpecin), Ryan Gibbons (Dimension Data), Filippo Ganna (UAE Team Emirates), Michael Goolaerts (Verandas Willems-Crelan), Dimitri Peyskens (WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect) and Jimmy Turgis (Cofidis) to form a 11-rider unit.

The 11 riders quickly built up a lead of a few minutes as the speed of the peloton noticeably eased off.

Prior to the first cobbled sector of Lippenhovestraat after 87km, it was Quick-Step Floors and Team Sky taking control at the front of the peloton.

Hitting the Oude Kwaremont for the first time after 121km and with 146km to go, there were the first signs of a sort-out of both the break and peloton as the riders navigated the rough cobbled hill between huge crowds.

Watch: Tour of Flanders 2018 highlights

On the short Wolvenberg, the break was enjoying a lead of five minutes over the chasing bunch – but that would soon start to be chipped away over the following cobbles and climbs.

A crash in the peloton disrupted the race with 99km to go, with several riders falling heavily on the road and into the roadside ditches. Belgian champion Oliver Naesen (Ag2r La Mondiale) was one of those caught out, but re-mounted quickly and later re-joined the peloton. Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) did not have such good luck, and abandoned the race.

The break really started to fall apart on the Muur van Geraardsbergen just inside the final 97km, with Garcia Cortina the first to the top.

The climb also strung out the peloton, with a large and dangerous group gaining a gap over the following riders. In there were Sagan, Vanmarcke, Van Avermaet, Gilbert and Kwiatkowski.

That chase group made quick headway into closing down the gap to the break shortly after the Kanarieberg with 71km to go. Sensing an imminent catch, Devriendt and Garcia Cortina left their other breakaway companions behind.

At this stage, the skies had brightened and the roads had rapidly started to dry out and the peloton had regrouped.

With 60km to go, Devriendt and Garcia Cortina had around one minute and 20 seconds on the peloton, which had a variety of teams with riders near the front, notably Mitchelton-Scott, EF Education First and FDJ.

Just before the second pass of the Oude Kwaremont as the road narrowed around a corner Mitchel Docker (EF Education First) tumbled into some barbed wire and had to be freed by spectators.

Onto the flashpoint climb and the regrouped peloton started to stretch into pieces once again. By the following climb of the Paterberg, the main favourites had moved right to the front, with Kwiatkowski, Sagan, Gilbert and Van Avermaet right in the thick of the action.

Despite the aggressive riding behind, Devriendt and Garcia Cortina were still out front but with a slim margin of less than 20 seconds into the final 50km. They were joined by Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), who bridged across from the chasers.

Then Sebastian Langeveld (EF Education First) and Dylan Van Baarle (Team Sky) bridged over, forming a new trio with Pedersen.

The Koppenberg, with 46km to go, broke up the peloton further but with all of the main favourites putting themselves into the front group of around 30 riders.

Van Avermaet took to the front on the Taaienberg and put in a huge effort, with only a small group of riders able to follow him. The other riders caught up after the climb, and as it turned out it would be the Olympic road race champion's only major attack of the race.

Into the final 30km and onto the Kruisberg, the 30-rider chase group containing the favourites were 35 seconds behind the escape group of Pedersen, Langeveld and Van Baarle.

After the Kruisberg, Zdenek Stybar (Quick-Step Floors) put in an attack and was followed by Sagan and Kwiatkowski. After they were caught, almost immediately Milan-San Remo winner Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) attacked and was followed by Terpstra. Nibali, though, faded with the effort, leaving Terpstra to forge ahead and close in on the trio up front in what would be the decisive move of the race.

Terpstra's move meant that Quick-Step's riders could ease off in the bunch, letting others do the chase work – and it was BMC and Astana who took up the reins into the final 25km.

Terpstra finally made contact with the leaders on the last pass of the Oude Kwaremont with 19km to go. He didn't hang about, moving straight to the front and leaving Langeveld and Van Baarle behind and with Pedersen fighting to stay on his wheel.

With Pedersen distanced, Terpstra then found himself in familiar territory, solo at the front of the race – just as he did to win E3 Harelbeke.

Terpstra crested the final climb of Paterberg out front, with Pedersen a handful of second behind and the chasing group led by Sagan around 30 seconds back.

>>> Luke Rowe disqualified from Tour of Flanders

Rounding the left-hand corner at the top of the Paterberg, Sagan put in a big acceleration and started to attempt to chase down Terpstra and Pedersen on his own but could not make any headway. The world champion sat up with 8.5km to go to rejoin the rest of the group.

With 7km to go, Terpstra was crouched over his bars, his cheeks specked with spittle from his effort and with 20 seconds ahead of Pedersen and 40 seconds ahead of the Sagan group. Some disarray among the organisation of the chasers played firmly to his favour.

As Terpstra rolled over the line in celebration, Pedersen was putting in a huge effort to keep the chasers at bay, and hung on for second place ahead of Gilbert. The following group containing Sagan and Van Avermaet could only look on, perhaps saving their efforts for the following weekend's Paris-Roubaix.

Team Sky suffered an ultimately disappointing race, after Kwiatkowski did not make the top 10 and Luke Rowe was disqualified for riding on a pavement behind spectators.

Earlier in the day, Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen (Boels-Dolmans) won the women's edition of the Tour of Flanders giving the Netherlands two winners on the roads of Belgium.

Result

Tour of Flanders 2018, 267km

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors

2. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segaredo

3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors

4. Michael Valgren (Den) Astana

5. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing

6. Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe

7. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo

8. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto-Soudal

9. Wout van Aert (Bel) Verands Willems Crelan

10. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step Floors

If Niki Terpstra's solo victory in E3 Harelbeke didn't look impressive enough on TV, then the numbers that the Dutch rider uploaded to Strava show the incredible effort needed to take such a spectacular win.

A regular Strava user for both races and training rides, unfortunately Terpstra hasn't included his heart rate or power data in his online activity - perhaps wanting to keep his cards close to his chest ahead of bigger races at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in the coming weeks - but some of the other data still offers great insight into a brilliant victory.

After the race had been split by a large crash with around 110km to go, Terpstra attacked with team-mate Yves Lampaert over the top of the Taaienberg in what would be a race-defining move.

>>> Five things we learned from Ghent-Wevelgem and E3 Harelbeke

However despite this attack, Terpstra's time of 1-25 up the 600m climb actually wasn't his fastest effort up the climb, having ascended seven seconds faster in the 2016 edition of E3 Harelbeke.

Over the top of the climb, Terpstra and Lampaert worked hard to consolidate their advantage, averaging 50kmh over the next 5.6km to the base of the next climb of the Boigneberg.

The Quick-Step Floors duo worked well together over the next 30km, before the cracks began to show on the Paterberg which Strava shows that Terpstra covered four seconds faster than Lampaert (who is on Strava under the moniker "John Deere"), opening up a few seconds despite climbing the short, sharp climb a few seconds slower than in the 2016 race.

Watch: Cobbled Classics essential guide 2018

It was a similar story on the Karnemelkbeekstraat, an eight per cent climb which Terpstra climbed at an average of nearly 20kmh, before Lampaert was finally dropped on the cobbled sector of the Varentstraat with 23.5km remaining.

And from the look of Strava, it's easy to see why Lampaert may have struggled to hold Terpstra's wheel over the pavé, with the Dutchman averaging 37.6kmh over the 2.3km sector including hitting more than 50kmh at one point - all of this coming after 183km of full-on racing.

Alone from thereon in, Terpstra continued to keep the pressure on, averaging an incredible 46.5kmh over the final 19km from the top of the final climb of the Tiegemberg to the finish in Harelbeke.

>>> Niki Terpstra: 'I know how annoying team dominance can be'

Stats from the group behind show how impressive this effort was, with Oliver Naesen's Strava activity showing a slightly lower average speed of 45.3kmh over the same period of racing as the attacks flew behind.

Overall, Terpstra averaged more than 40kmh for the 206km race, including an impressive top speed of more than 80kmh - not bad on the narrow roads of Flanders.

The only disappointment for Terpstra will be that he only picked up three Strava KOMs on his incredible ride, but somehow we don't think he'll be too bothered by that...

Quick-Step Floors admit that it must have been annoying to be in another team and racing against them in Belgium's E3 Harelbeke, capped off with a victory by Dutchman Niki Terpstra.

They led the race when a crash happened behind midway and continued dominating from there. Terpstra rode clear with team-mate Yves Lampaert on the Taaienberg where Tom Boonen used to fire. Philippe Gilbert or Zdenek Stybar would then mark anyone who tried to chase from behind.

>>> No regrets for Greg Van Avermaet and Peter Sagan despite mixed fortunes at E3 Harelbeke

"That played a really big part in my victory. A really big part," Terpstra said of the team's dominance.

"If the group behind was cooperating, then the Quick-Step guys would get in between again. I know how annoying that can be. It can make the difference in the end.

"I didn't see all of it yet in the replay, but for sure, I want to watch it back on TV."

On TV, at times it looked like a wave of blue. Tim Declercq and Iljo Keisse pushed the team through the early kilometres and at the head, which saw the Belgium WorldTour team avoid the major pileup at 100 kilometres remaining.

"We rode a lot," Gilbert said. "This is very good for our morale. As a team, we played it perfectly.

"We showed a real team spirit. Niki was on the attack and in the back, Zdenek and I were stopping. "

Gilbert last year won one of his biggest victories from a massive solo attack in the Tour of Flanders, having moved teams from BMC Racing to Quick-Step that year.

"Last year, I benefited from the work and the impressive force of the team. This time it was Niki's turn. If you ride in such a strong team, you have to respect the tactics and play the game professionally."

Gilbert at one point began to bridge to his two team-mates up the road. It seemed Quick-Step would blanket the podium. Then, Terpstra's advantage, with Lampaert gone, began to drop. However, he still maintained 20 seconds at the finish line, where Gilbert led the group behind for second place.

Quick-Step Floors easily leads the victory table for 2018 so far with 18. The next best, Team Sky, counts 13.

"Our team rode a fantastic race. It's started. We are comfortable now for the coming races," Lampaert added. "Now it is up to the other teams to take control of the next races.

"We had said before the start that we would not be leading today and left the initiative to the other teams. In the end, we did it anyway.

"Actually, we always take control of the race. Taking a race in our hands is in our nature."

Niki Terpstra made a long-range attack stick to win the 2018 E3 Harelbeke as Quick-Step Floors dominated the cobbled Classic.

Terpstra escaped the main group with his team-mate Yves Lampaert with around 70km to go and held off an elite chasing group in the final kilometres after going solo with 42km left.

Such was Quick-Step's dominance, the Belgian team were able to place Philippe Gilbert in second in the sprint behind, while defending champion Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) took third place

It's the Dutchman's first victory E3 Harelbeke and his second victory of the season after taking the win in Le Samyn in February with a similar solo victory.

How it happened

The opening kilometres of the race saw an expected breakaway get up the road, with eight riders going early.

The first part of the race was defined by it's crashes though, with world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) taken down at one point.

A big crash with 110km to go caused a major split, with Quick-Step pushing on the front of the lead group and riders including Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First-Drapac) and much of the Astana squad being caught behind.

Quick-Step were able to push the gap out to that group to well over a minute with 90km to go as Astana led the chase, and began bearing down on the original break.

Damien Gaudin (Direct Energie) and Pim Ligthart (Roompot) were able to break clear from their early breakaway companions on the Hotondberg with 86km to go, while the other six riders drifted back to the Quick-Step led chasers.

That pressure from Quick-Step on the cobbled climb of the Taaienberg caused a major split with 76km to go, with Lampaert and Terpstra able to get away solo shortly after.

They quickly caught Gaudin and Ligthart before leaving them behind and putting 45 seconds into the bunch behind.

Counter attacks began quickly though, with a number of the favourites trying to bridge across.

Sagan, Gilbert and Van Avermaet as well as Tiesj Benoot (Lotto-Soudal),  Daniel Oss (Bora-Hansgrohe), Zdenek Stybar and Florian Senechal (Quick-Step) and Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) were eventually able to come together to form with Ligthart and Gaudin in a chase 43 seconds behind the leaders and 35 seconds ahead of the next chasing group.

The next major move saw Greg Van Avermaet try and bridge to the leaders with 56km remaining, and he was quickly joined by Benoot and Gilbert.

With 45km to go, the gap was up to 50 seconds between the leaders and group two. Group three at 1-35 but were caught by large the next chasing group including Vanmarcke, Michael Matthews (Sunweb) and Oliver Naesen (Ag2r La Mondiale).

Up front, Terpstra began to distance Lampaert on the Paterberg with 42km to go but waited at the top, with Lampaert struggling again on the Karnemelkbeekstraat climb with 30km to go.

Behind, the Van Avermaet group was soon to be caught, and Gilbert attacked to try and bridge to his team-mates up front.

With the gap to the front at 30 seconds, by 26km remaining, Gilbert, Benoot and Van Avermaet were all back in the chase group which had lost a huge number of riders over the Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont, and now contained just Stybar, Naesen, Trentin, Vanmarcke, Gianni Moscon (Team Sky), Stefan Küng and Jurgen Roelandts (BMC) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo).

Terpstra finally let the now exhausted Lampaert drop off with 24km to go on the final cobbled sector, and it was then up to former Paris-Roubaix winner to hold the elite group behind at bay.

That group attempted a number of attacks but nothing would stick, and the presence of Gilbert and Stybar rolling across the front and not taking a turn slowed them down enough for Terpstra to maintain a precarious 20 second gap.

That gap has slipped right down to around 14 seconds with 5.5km to go, when Van Avermaet initiated a late flurry of attacks, with none again able to stick.

As that group began to look at each other with 2km to go, Terpstra was able to grit his teeth and hold on to take a heroic solo win.

Gilbert made a late attack in the final kilometre to nip in for second place, while defending champion Van Avermaet won the sprint for third place.

Result

E3 Harelbeke 2018 (206.1km)

1 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors 5-04-18

2 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors

3 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team

4 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale

5 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal

6 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo

7 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First-Drapac

8 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky

9 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step Floors

10 Stefan Küng (Swi) BMC Racing Team

Niki Terpstra and Philippe Gilbert put in a dominant performance with their Quick-Step Floors team in Le Samyn in Belgium on Tuesday to place first and second.

The pair had been part of a decisive break in the peloton caused by an acceleration of pace injected by the Quick-Step Floors team. Damien Gaudin (Direct Energie) came in for third place.

It's Terpstra's first victory for two years and a sign that the 2014 Paris-Roubaix winner could be back on top form for the forthcoming Classics.

Having come away from the weekend's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne empty-handed, Quick-Step Floors evidently decided to make amends by stamping their authority on the mid-week race, which features sections of cobbled roads.

>>> Cobbled Classics: Latest news, reports and race info

The early part of the 200-kilometre race was led by a seven-rider escape group, which included Gaudin. Behind them, Quick-Step Floors were leading the peloton in the windy, freezing conditions, ultimately causing a split in the bunch.

The Quick-Step Floors-led group of 10 riders managed to make the junction with the front group of seven to make a new leading unit of 17.

They worked well together to open up a gap over the chasing peloton, and by the half-way point of the race the gap was creeping up towards a minute.

Four laps of a 25km loop made up the second half of the race, each lap containing sectors of cobbles and short climbs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pQ0nxvvle8

A furious game of cat-and-mouse was set up between the leaders and the bunch, but try as they might, the peloton could not make any in-roads into catching the escapees.

Heading into the final 60, there were just five riders left in the lead: Gilbert, Gaudin, Terpstra, Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto-Soudal) and Alex Kirsch (WB Aqua Protect).

There was a momentary wobble for Terpstra, who required a bike change, but he managed to chase back into the lead quintet.

Heading into the final 25km lap, Van der Sande and Kirsch found the pace too hot, and they were dropped – leaving just Terpstra, Gilbert and Gaudin. It soon became clear that the peloton had lost its impetus, and the win would be contested from this small group, and with Gaudin at a distinct disadvantage.

>>> Five things we learned from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne

Gilbert attacked first, forcing Gaudin to chase with Terpstra sat on his wheel. Then Terpstra attacked – in what would be the decisive move.

Terpstra slipped into time trial mode, and opened up a gap over the tiring Gaudin – who let us not forget had been part of the day's initial escape – with Gilbert sat on his back wheel.

Unsurprisingly, Gilbert then dropped Gaudin in the final 3km, setting up a Quick-Step one-two that will please the home fans left disappointed after the opening weekend.

Earlier, Janneke Ensing (Alé Cipollini) had won the women's edition of Le Samyn. She finished ahead of Flootje Mackaij (Team Sunweb) and Lauren Kitchen (FDJ) at the end of the 103-kilometre event.

Result

Le Samyn 2018, 200km

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors

2. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors

3. Damien Gaudin (Fra) Direct Energie

4. Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie

5. Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) Ag2r La Mondiale

6. Alex Kirsch (Lux) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic

7. Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic

8. Nico Denz (Ger) Ag2r La Mondiale

9. Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert

10. Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie

Niki Terpstra broke away with 18km to go to take a solo win at the Le Samyn by 19 seconds.

The Dutch Etixx-Quick Step rider broke from the 18 man group on the final lap of the finishing circuit at the Belgian race. He was chased down admirably by Scott Thwaites but had too much power for the Yorkshireman, who finished in second place. Cofidis' Florian Senechal sprinted to third place 37 seconds down.

The Flandrian race was blighted with dreadful conditions that left the cobbled sections as treacherous minefields. The race was run on a 202.6km course that finished with four laps of a 25 km loop.

The action was focussed on an 18 man group that broke away early from the rest of the field. Phillipe Gilbert (BMC), the only competing former winner of the race, was put out of contention early on after being forced to retire due to back pain.

35km out, Katusha's Nils Pollitt made a solo beak and with one lap to go was maintaining a seven second lead over the group. He was soon caught by Senechal and they remained at the front until the attack of Terpstra and Thwaites reeled them in.

Ultimately, Terpstra had too much for Thwaites. He powered ahead of the Bora Argon 18 rider and looked untroubled all the way to the finish line. Thwaites held off a chasing group of three to finish 19 seconds back.

The result tops off a decent week for Thwaites who finished 16th at Omloop Het Niuewblad and 10th at Kuurne-Brussels-Kurne.

Le Samyn 2016 (202.6km)

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx - Quick Step, in 4-52-48

2. Scott Thwaites (Gbr) Bora-Argon 18, at 19 secs

3. Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, at 37 secs

4. Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team,

5. Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha, both the same

6. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) LottoNL - Jumbo, at 44 secs

7. Sven Erik Bystrom (Nor) Katusha, the same

8. Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise, at 46 secs

9. Maarten Wynants (Bel) LottoNL - Jumbo, at 48 secs

10. Tony Hurel (Fra) Direct Energie, at 1-00

Niki Terpstra insists he and partner Yoeri Havik will do everything in their power to hunt down leaders Kenny De Ketele and Moreno De Pauw, after Thursday's results set Six Day London up for a thrilling conclusion.

The two Belgian riders overtook their compatriots, Iljo Keisse and Gijs Van Hoecke, to lead at the Lee Valley VeloPark once more after they gained a lap late on in the final madison chase of the evening.

Terpstra and Havik of the Netherlands have been in touch all week and now sit third, but with 47 points between them and first place, they know they have work to do if they are to top the podium on Friday.

"It was a good night for the two of us and to be in the top three now is really good," said Terpstra. "Maybe the first two Belgium teams will rock a little bit tomorrow, maybe not. Who knows!

"I hope so. I hope they look at each other and we can profit from it. There's not much at all between us so anything is possible.

"It's really nice to be a part of the first Six Day here in London for a few years. It's really good, the crowds are really enthusiastic and they are really enjoying the nights. It would be a great achievement for us to win here."

Six Day London: day four

Havik added: "I think if you hear the crowd, Six Day really belongs here. It's really popular in all of Europe, but track cycling is so popular in England and it's great Six Day is back."

>>> Your guide to the London Six Day

Michael and Jesper Morkov made the big move of the day, stealing a lap on the field on their way to 20km madison triumph, with overall leaders Keisse and Hoecke close behind.

The British crowd was at its loudest yet, and they were treated to some fireworks from Ollie Wood who topped the flying 500m time-trial standings, despite the best efforts of Olympic omnium champion Lasse Norman Hansen and De Ketele who were not far behind.

Sunday's 1878 Cup champion Mark Stewart finished fourth in that race, but turned on the style in the team elimination to deliver a victory alongside Germain Burton.

After finishing second in that race Terpstra was determined to top the podium, and a brilliant finish in his derny race saw him win ahead of Michael Morkov and Van Hoecke - all three within a couple of feet of each other.

That win was vital, giving Terpstra and Havik enough points for a bonus lap and putting them second overall, before Burton emulated Stewart's heroics and pipped De Pauw to win the second derny race in front of his father, former British champion Maurice.

But even though world madison champion Morgan Kneisky and Lucas Liss won the final chase, the last-gasp lap gained by De Ketele and De Pauw saw them finish the evening top of the pile.

Six Day London: day three

Meanwhile in the women's competition, Malgorzata Wojtyra picked up where she left off on Wednesday, winning the 7.5km scratch race ahead of Alzbeta Pavlendova to extend her lead overall, with Dani King in third.

>>> Dani King shifts focus to Olympic road race but relishes track return at Six Day

And points race world champion Stephanie Pohl also stayed true to form, winning her favourite event for the second night running just ahead of Anita Stenberg of Norway - the two finishing level on points after the four sprints.

That put Stenberg into second place in the overall standings, but there was nothing she could do to catch Wojtyra who sealed another win in the elimination race.

Six Day London: day two

Dame Sarah Storey was back again on Thursday as she bids to find her track legs ahead of the Paralympic Games in Rio, and admitted she was enjoying the unique Six Day atmosphere.

She said: "It's great to be a part of Six Day London, I can't believe it's been 35 years since we had the last one.

"It's been great fun, loads of fast, hard racing right at the end of my season so it's nice to end on a fun note - I can tell it's the end of the season though as the wheels keep falling off when I don't want them to.

"The building of the velodrome has transformed this area and you can see that if this becomes a permanent fixture here it will always draw people in to watch.

"You can see people's faces and hear them when you're trying to attack - even when the music is loud - so it really is fantastic racing."

Six Day London: day one

Elsewhere, Denis Dmitriev shook off yesterday's tired performance to win the flying 200m time-trial ahead of Matt Rotherham and Eric Balzer, before Sascha Hubner triumphed in the keirin and crowd-pleasing American Nate Koch won the 500m handicap race.

But even though Balzer was beaten in the sprint final at the end of the evening by Kazunari Watanabe, Dmitriev held on to the overall standings lead by edging out Rotherham for third.

And British duo Matthew Walls and Matthew Draper claimed the Junior Talent Cup with another win in the 20km madison.

Despite being firmly in the lead going into the final day, the starlets went on the attack and took three of the four sprints to seal another win, and an overall triumph.

Six Day London is at Lee Valley VeloPark between 18-23 Oct - tickets now on sale at www.sixday.com. Come and see the world's best track cyclists in action and be part of an electric party atmosphere at London's Olympic Velodrome.

Dutch pro Niki Terpstra has posted up his Etixx-QuickStep team's Vuelta a España bus transfer on Strava, which took place on Monday evening ahead of the race's first rest day on Tuesday.

The 434-kilometre (269.6-mile) journey from Castellón de la Plana took over five hours to complete, starting after the finish of stage 10. The team bus climbed a total of 3780 metres (12,402 feet) on its way to Andorra as the race heads into the high mountains.

Along the way, Terpstra and his bus 'took' 13 Strava King of the Mountains titles - leading to the 'ride' being flagged by another user. Terpstra said that he'd delete the data and he'd only posted up to give fans an insight into the transfer.

"It's just to show you guys how our Vuelta is. Don't worry for the people who have KOMs on the highway, I will delete this ride later," the 2014 Paris-Roubaix winner and current Dutch national champion said on Strava. He won't miss the KOMs from his account, as he has claimed over 1000 since December 2011.

>>> The nine best tweets from the first Vuelta a España rest day

German former pro rider Marcel Wüst commented: "Not a real rest day ;-( Have a good recovery anyway, guys!"

The bus averaged 86.3kmh (53.6mph) on its journey, with a maximum of 116.7kmh (72.5mph). Terpstra's Garmin Edge 500 recorded the temperature as 29°C - we're hoping that wasn't the internal temperature of the team bus.

Terpstra has also posted up all of his genuine rides from the Vuelta.

Terpstra currently sits in 102nd place in the Vuelta's general classification, one hour and 12 minutes behind leader Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin).

After the rest day in Andorra, the riders face a tough day of climbing and descending on stage 11's 138km course on Wednesday that features six categorised climbs, including up to the mountain-top finish at Els Cortals de Encamp. The race concludes on September 13.

Sir Bradley Wiggins has a long way to go if he’s to reach top form for Paris-Roubaix, according to Stephen Roche, who says the Brit’s time trial performance was of particular concern.

While Roche concedes it was only Wiggins’ third day of racing this season, the 1987 Triple Crown winner said in his skysports.com column that he expected Sir Bradley to honour his first outing in the rainbow stripes with a win.

Wiggins finished nine seconds down to winner Niki Terpstra in the stage three time trial and sits over 12 minutes down on the Belgian in the overall standings after being caught out in the Qatar crosswinds.

“It’s no secret that Wiggins isn’t the best rider in the wind and the likes of [Tom] Boonen have successfully exposed that,” he wrote. “It’s an unfortunate reflection on Wiggins, but in a race like the Tour of Qatar, it comes with the territory.”

“What I would be slightly more concerned about is Tuesday’s time trial, where Wiggins could only finish third and was beaten over 10km by nine seconds by winner Terpstra, who took victory at Paris-Roubaix last year and could well be one of his biggest rivals at this year’s race.”

“OK, it was only Wiggins’ third day of racing of the year and he wasn’t on a time trial bike as they aren’t allowed in Qatar, but it was his first time wearing the world champion’s rainbow jersey and I would have thought he would have wanted to honour it by winning the stage.

“So to have lost almost one second per kilometre to Terpstra is far from ideal. Again, it’s not a major worry, because Paris-Roubaix is still nine weeks away, but it does show that he is far from his best form and still has a lot of work to do.”

Sam Bennett (Bora-Argon18) won the final stage of the Tour of Qatar with a powerful and well-timed sprint.

The good form of the Irishman was hinted at by a fifth place finish on stage one, but today’s sprint win was still as surprising as it was impressive, given all the big name sprinters contesting the finale.

Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step), meanwhile, sealed overall victory as main rival Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) was unable to contest the sprint and gain enough bonus seconds.

In the run-in to the sprint, both Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo took over the lead of the peloton, only to break-up in the finale. The subsequent sprint was therefore a bit messy, although Astana’s Andrea Guardini still managed to find himself in at the front to launch his sprint first, and was only beaten to the line by Bennett.

On a short and flat stage, the only variable capable of changing the overall were bonus seconds. Earlier, Kristoff had signalled his intent to go for the overall by contesting an intermediate sprint.

After the initial break of Marcus Burghardt (BMC), Nicola Boem, Stefano Pirazzi (both Bardiani-CSF) and Preben van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) was caught by the peloton, Kristoff managed to gain two seconds by finishing second at the intermediate sprint, but was denied the maximum three seconds by Terpstra’s teammate Tom Boonen.

Sensing the danger, Etixx-Quick Step sent Iljo Keisse up the road with Gijs van Hoecke (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) to hoover up the next set of bonus seconds.

The pair was caught soon after, leaving the bunch to contest a big sprint at the finish line.

Ian Stannard (Sky) was the top-placed British rider overall in fourth place, with team-mate Luke Rowe seventh. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) completed the race in 78th place overall.

Roche: Qatar time trial must be wake-up call for Bradley Wiggins

Results

Tour of Qatar 2015, stage six: Sealine Beach Resort to Doha Corniche, 113km

1. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 in 2-24-03

2. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana

3. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis

4. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo

5. Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN-Qhubeka

6. Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge

7. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx-QuickStep

8. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep

9. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing

10. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar all same time

Final overall classification

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-QuickStep in 17-36-48

2. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 6 secs

3. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 11 secs

4. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 12 secs

5. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 19 secs

6. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo at 31 secs

7. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky at 33 secs

8. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling at 39 secs

9. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana at 41 secs

10. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep at 42 secs

Defending champion Niki Terpstra will wear the leader’s yellow jersey in tomorrow’s Tour of Qatar finale after surviving a late onslaught from Tinkoff-Saxo in this afternoon’s penultimate stage.

Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step) was caught on the wrong side of an echelon when the peloton split with six kilometres of today’s stage remaining; his nearest GC challenger - Tinkoff rider Maciej Bodnar- was among those who made it into the short-lived 10-rider break.

However, Bodnar and his two Tinkoff-Saxo team-mates in the lead group did not realise Terpstra was dropped, and the two groups eventually came together in the final two kilometres, denying him the chance to overturn his six-second deficit.

“Well, I don’t think they helped me,” said Terpstra of Tinkoff’s mishap. “Of course I was worried, not only about Bodnar, but about a lot of riders who were up there in the general classification.

“We kept on chasing, and luckily we chased them down in the last kilometres.”

Bodnar first found out about the split when team owner Oleg Tinkoff, team manager Bjarne Riis and team-mate Michael Morkov spoke to him by the Tinkoff race vehicles after the stage.

“If we had radios here, I would have told the guys that Terpstra was gone,” said Riis. “But I’m happy with what I saw in the final kilometres.”

Polish rider Bodnar added: “I’m disappointed. Katusha pushed hard, we pushed hard and I didn’t know what was happening behind.

“We did our best and the team was so strong – I think we were better than Etixx today.”

Terpstra could make it nine wins out of the last 10 for Etixx in Qatar tomorrow, but his biggest challenger is arguably now Alexander Kristoff.

The Katusha rider won for the third time in four stages in Medinat Al Shamal today, and moved to within 11 seconds of the Dutchman.

A maximum of 16 seconds are on offer in time bonuses during tomorrow’s final stage from Sealine Beach Resort and the Doha Corniche.

“If Kristoff goes for the bonus seconds, I will try and beat him in the sprints,” said Terpstra. “But if he wins tomorrow, he’s probably the best rider here.”

Sky's Bradley Wiggins was supposed to win the Tour of Qatar time trial stage today, according the victor and new overall leader, Dutchman Niki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep).

Instead, reigning time trial world champion Wiggins placed third behind Terpstra and Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing).

"I'm surprised," Terpstra said in the leader's gold jersey. "Yesterday, I said to some guys, 'I think Wiggins is going to win with 40 seconds on the second best rider'. To beat him, the world champion, I'm happily surprised."

Wiggins briefly held the best time at 14-12 minutes until multiple world champion Cancellara finished at 14-11. Terpstra, 2014 Tour of Qatar and Paris-Roubaix winner, finished the fastest and moved into the race lead with 14-03.

Bradley Wiggins says Qatar TT result puts him on track for Paris-Roubaix

The World Time Trial Champion placed third in his first outing in the rainbow skinsuit.

"It was a really good time trial for me," said Terpstra. "In the first kilometres, I was going steady, not full gas. I decided to save energy for when we turned into the head-wind. At that at point, my DS encouraged me from behind, saying, 'Up! Up! Up!'".

The 10.9 kilometres covered the flat roads around the Lusail Iconic Stadium, where the handball world championships were held last week, and the Moto GP track. The wind, which blew up to 40 kilometres an hour and kicked up sand over the Arab state, played an important role.

"The distance probably suited me more than it did Wiggins, and that it's on a normal bike instead of a time trial bike is good for me. And I was extremely motivated for the classification, that's also a big thing in time trials. You need to be motivated and focused,” added Terpstra.

>>> Bradley Wiggins third in Tour of Qatar time trial

"I'm sure he [Wiggins] was also motivated in the rainbow jersey, but he has won it already so..."

Terpstra moved into the race lead by 11 seconds over Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff-Saxo) and 12 seconds over Sky's Ian Stannard. Along with Cancellara and others, he will be one of Wiggins' rivals at Paris-Roubaix on April 12.

"I'm happy with my shape, of course. I hope I can still improve for the next two months," he said.

"Obviously, in 10 kilometres, my shape is good. I hope that in the long classics it's good, too, and that it doesn't go bad suddenly."

Bradley Wiggins (Sky) made his first competitive outing in world champion stripes in the Tour of Qatar time trial on Tuesday, but was beaten to the stage win.

Wiggins posted a time of 14 minutes and 12 seconds around the exposed 10.9-kilometre course, but only had a short stay in the hotseat as he was first beaten by Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing), then defending champion Niki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep) blew everyone away with a blistering ride.

Last year's Paris-Roubaix winner Terpstra now moves into the overall race lead after his stage win, 11 secs ahead of Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff-Saxo). Ian Stannard (Sky) put in a strong ride to finish fifth on the stage and move up to third overall.

Niki Terpstra surprised at beating Bradley Wiggins in Qatar time trial

Niki Terpstra says he thought that Bradley Wiggins would 'beat everyone by 40 seconds' in the Tour of Qatar stage

Stannard's Sky team-mate and British compatriot Luke Rowe also rode well to finish 15th, and now sits fifth overall and leads the best young rider classification.

The flat, short course suited power riders as much as the time trial specialists, creating a top 10 that could also serve as who's who of 2015 classics contenders. Worthy of note is that former Hour Record holder Matthias Brändle (IAM) placed sixth.

The Tour of Qatar continues on Wednesday with a 165.5km road stage. The race concludes on Friday.

Results

Tour of Qatar 2015, stage three: Lusail Circuit, 10.9km ITT

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-QuickStep in 14-03

2. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing at 8 secs

3. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) at 9 secs

4. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at same time

5. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 10 secs

6. Matthias Brändle (Aut) IAM Cycling at 18 secs

7. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep at 20 secs

8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN-Qhubeka at 21 secs

9. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 24 secs

10. Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling at 25 secs

Overall classification after stage three

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-QuickStep

2. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 11 secs

3. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 12 secs

4. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 19 secs

5. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky at 33 secs

6. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 36 secs

7. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep at 42 secs

8. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling at 44 secs

9. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana at 46 secs

10. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo at 48 secs

Niki Terpstra took a solo win at Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday, opening Omega Pharma-QuickStep's Flemish campaign with a convincing show of strength and tactics.

Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) led the peloton home for second place with Borut Bozic (Astana) in third.

An early 20-plus rider lead group contained British riders Steve Cummings (BMC Racing) and David Millar (Garmin-Sharp), who originally instigated the move after 65km. As the race progressed, the break splintered with the final eight riders absorbed by the chasing peloton within the final 30km.

2012 winner Terpstra launched an attack just before the catch on the Paterberg, quickly building up a lead and pushing out his gap to over half a minute as the chase group faltered.

As Terpstra forged ahead, four riders gave chase - Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Nicki Sorensen (Tinkoff-Saxo) and Stijn Devolder (Trek Factory Racing). Steegmans took a back seat, mindful of team-mate Terpstra up the road and leaving the other three to do the work.

On the final climb of Nokereberg with 8km to go, Terpstra was still comfortably out front, 18 seconds ahead of the four chasers and half a minute clear of the peloton.

The chasers were caught by the bunch by the final kilometre, with Terpstra giving every ounce of effort left, head almost touching his bars to stay away and take a fine solo win.

Result
Dwars door Vlaanderen 2014, 201km
1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

2. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp at 19 secs

3. Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana

4. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Wanty-Groupe Gobert

5. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling

6. Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto-Belisol

7. Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise

8. Oscar Gatto (Ita) Cannondale

9. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-GreenEdge

10. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Ag2r La Mondiale all same time

Tour of Flanders route modified for 2014

Controversial finishing circuit introduced in 2012 scrapped, Muur van Geraardsbergen remains on sidelines

Michael Hepburn has won stage three of the Tour of Qatar with Niki Terpstra retaining the overall lead after the 10.9km individual time trial.

Hepburn stopped the clock at the end of the Lusail Circuit in 13 minutes and 28.61 seconds for his second victory of the 2014 season following his win at January's Australian national time trial championships.

The 22 year old best Lars Boom (Belkin) and Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff-Saxo) to take line honours at the end of the race riders contested on road bikes because of obvious logistical reasons. Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) finished fifth, behind Fabian Cancellara (Trek), to hold onto the gold leader's jersey. Britain's Ian Stannard (Sky) jumped from seventh to fifth overall with a solid performance whilst compatriot Andrew Fenn rounds out the top 10 of the general standings that includes five of his teammates.

Tour of Qatar 2014, stage three: Lusail Circuit, 10.9km

1. Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 13-38

2. Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin at 1 secs

3. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo at 6 secs

4. Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Trek

5. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 8 secs

6. Martin Elmiger (Sui) IAM at 10 secs

7. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 13 secs

8. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC at 15 secs

9. Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge at 16 secs

10. Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 17 secs

Overall classification after stage three

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 6-57-06

2. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol at 21 secs

3. Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin at 24 secs

4. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 28 secs

5. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 35 secs

6. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 45 secs

7. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinoff-Saxo at 49 secs

8. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol

9. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 58 secs

10. Andrew Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 1-06

Tom Boonen wins Tour of Qatar stage two

Tour of Qatar 2014, stage two: Tom Boonen back to winning ways in the Tour of Qatar

Ian Stannard aims to capitalise on Tour of Qatar time trial