At the famed Paris-Roubaix, Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) was able to pass by Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara, and Peter Sagan in order to win the race for the first time. He lapsed the other elite racers about six kilometers (3.73 miles) before the finish line.

Terpstra, who is from the Netherlands, said as soon as he saw the gap between him and the other racers, he used all of his energy to have it remain until he completed the race.

“Two years ago I was fifth, and last year I was third. If you can finish in the top 10 here you can also, with a bit of luck, win it,” he said. “Last year, I was really close and this year I made it. Since I was a little child and I started cycling, Paris-Roubaix was the most special race for me. Now I won it. It’s a dream come true.”

John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) claimed second place while Cancellara, who won last week’s Tour de Flanders, took third.

This win was the biggest for Terpstra’s career, but not one that was unexpected. The Paris-Roubaix win came after wins at Qatar, Dwars, as well as top 10 rides at Harelbeke, Flanders, and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, according to Cycling Central.

“Today might not be the biggest event in my life,” the 29-year-old said. “But certainly it’s the biggest moment of my career.”

Image from Thomas Ducroquet on Wikimedia Commons