The 20-year-old British sprinter Matthew Brennan rocketed out of an accelerating pack to win the Flemish Classic Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne for Team Visma-Lease a Bike on Sunday.

Matthew Brennan Becomes First Brit Since Mark Cavendish

The Darlington native is the first Briton to win the race since Mark Cavendish in 2012 and 2015, with a finishing sprint reminiscent of the Manxman's style.

Brennan avoided comparisons after the race.

"I won twice as a junior myself," he said. "I'm always there in these kinds of races."

Second-tier ProTeam Tudor placed two riders on the podium as Italians Luca Mozzato finished second and veteran Matteo Trentin third.

Matthew Brennan Capitalizes On Flat Final Kilometers

The race, the second event of the Flemish Opening Weekend, was contested in mild weather over 193.6km and 13 hills, with the final 60km winding but almost entirely flat.

About three dozen riders played cat-and-mouse over the final 2km as teams jockeyed for position, with Visma and Quick-Step featuring prominently.

"I was nervous all day and we got caught in a gap, but we took the initiative and I'm really happy," Brennan said.

"The guys, each and every one of them, worked in the build-up. I did the easy bit."

None of the pre-race favorites featured prominently, with defending champion Jasper Philipsen, sprint rival Jonathan Milan and emerging French fast man Paul Magnier all out of contention.