Cycling: Nuyens sees off Flanders favourite

The Belgian Nick Nuyens stunned pre-race favourite Fabian Cancellara to prevail in a three-man sprint and win the Tour of Flanders yesterday.

Nuyens narrowly outpowered Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel, with Switzerland's Cancellara forced to settle for third.

After 18 steep, short climbs, the trio took off three kilometres from the finish line from a group of around a dozen riders.

A former winner of the Under-23 version of the Tour of Flanders but with none of cycling's top five "Monument" Classics to his name, the 30-year-old Nuyens said joining the Saxo Bank team had made all the difference.

"I gained a lot of real confidence thanks to the team, the management, the riders – everybody," Nuyens said.