New Zealand cyclist Hayden Roulston confirmed his good early season form by finishing fourth in a Belgium road race run in atrocious conditions.
Stormy rain and winds up to 60kmh hit this morning's (NZtime) 194km Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne one-day race and wind chill had the temperature hovering at 0deg or lower.
Three riders attacked with 90km to go and Roulston, riding for his new team Columbia, and his Cervelo teammates from last season, Thor Hushovd and Jeremy Hunt, launched a chase.
The three got within 26 seconds of the leaders before Hunt dropped out with 35km to go, followed by Hushovd 15km later, leaving Roulston on a solo chase which took him to the finish one minute behind race winner, Bobbie Traksel of the Netherlands.
Only 26 riders of the 200 starters finished the race, New Zealander Sam Bewley. riding for Radio Shack, among those to abandon.
Roulston helped his team leader Andre Greipel to an overall win at the Tour Down Under in January and recently finished sixth in the time trial in the Tour of Andalucia in Spain.
