French cyclist Sylvain Chavanel blitzed to victory in the fifth stage 13.2km time trial around Sittard during the Tour of the Low Countries on Friday as Dutchman Lars Boom maintained his overall lead.
Omega Pharma's 34-year-old Chavanel won in 16min 04sec to pip Dutchman Tom Dumoulin and New Zealand's Jesse Sergent by just four seconds.
The 2013 national time-trial champion, who held the Tour de France yellow jersey for two stages in 2010, proved too strong for the field as he looked to build on his win earlier this year on the Three Days of De Panne in the Netherlands.
Pre-stage favourite Bradley Wiggins, the 2012 Tour de France winner and Olympic time trial champion, surprisingly could manage only fifth at nine seconds back.
The result allowed Boom to extend his overall lead to four seconds, with Chavanel moving up to second and Dumoulin third at eight seconds.
