Cycling: Paris-Roubaix World Cup race

Van Petegem claims double

Belgium's Peter van Petegem claimed his second World Cup series win in a week with victory in the Paris-Roubaix World Cup race.

Van Petegem outsprinted Italian Dario Pieri and Russian Olympic champion Viaceslav Ekimov in a closely contested finish to extend his lead in the World Cup standings.

The Lotto rider is first to claim the Tour of Flandres and the Paris-Roubaix in the same year since Belgian Roger de Vlaeminck in 1977.

Van Petegem's victory made up for the fact that favourite and reigning champion Johan Museeuw failed to claim a record-equalling fourth win in the race.

Italian Pieri and German Rolf Aldag of the Telekom team led for the latter part of the race with van Petegem heading the chasing group.

Ekimov broke away from Van Petegem's group to join the front duo and eventually the Belgian caught up and proved quickest on the final sprint.

The race, known as the "Hell of the North", included 49km on treacherous narrow cobbled lanes over a century old.