Sunday 31 March 2013 22:25, UK
Fabian Cancellara claimed a magnificent solo victory at the Tour of Flanders after powering clear in the closing stages.
The Belgian spectacle kicked off in Bruges with 256km on the menu over some of the most famous roads in cycling. A rapid start saw the peloton quickly rattle off the first 100km as the race headed south, seven riders going clear ahead of the famous 'hellingen'. RadioShack-Leopard took up the pace-setting from early on on behalf of Cancellara after one of the favourites for victory, Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step), had exited the race in an ambulance following a fall. With the peloton snapping in half after the Koppenberg, a front group of around 40 riders was all that remained at the head of affairs, and the majority of the big names barring Roelandts seeming happy to wait for the finale to attack. As always the race was peppered with punctures and crashes; Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) the biggest name to go down at a key time ahead of the final sequence of climbs. The Brit was able to fight his way back to the front group but had no answer to the attacks up ahead. With the podium decided it was left to Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ) to round out the top five in the centenary edition of the great race. Watch two-hour highlights of the race at 1900 on Sky Sports 2 HD, as well as on the move with Sky Go.
