Thomas Voeckler breaks away to win Brabant Arrow cycling classic

BRUSSELS (AP) -- Thomas Voeckler of France finished a 17-mile solo breakaway over the final hills to win the Brabant Arrow cycling classic.

Voeckler built a gap of over a minute and a half over the last eight hills and braved a succession of rain, hail and high winds to keep ahead of a chasing group, where three-time winner Oscar Freire of Spain won the sprint ahead of home rider Pieter Serry to finish second.

The 32-year-old Voeckler won the 121-mile race in 4 hours, 49 minutes, 2 seconds for his first victory of the season.

World Tour leader Tom Boonen, who won the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix over the past two weeks, did not enter Wednesday's race and will not compete in the upcoming Amstel Gold Race because of a foot infection.