MATT Nowell warmed up for this year’s Tour Series, which starts tonight, Thursday, by recording his best result of 2018.

He sprinted to fourth place in the Trofee Maarten Wynants men’s race in Belgium on Sunday, completing 17 laps of a 10km course at Helchteren.

It marked the Canyon Eisberg rider’s second race in Europe last week after he hit the Dutch cobblestones in the PWZ Zuidenveld Tour – a gruelling 197km contest featuring roads used in the Ronde van Drenthe – eight days earlier.

And the Northwich ace continued a promising start to the campaign by taking 37th place.

His teammate Chris Opie crossed the line in eighth position after forging clear in a decisive break that included a dozen men.

Canyon are one of six rivals hoping to take the Tour Series title from JLT Condor, the defending champions, when the 2018 edition starts at Redditch in Worcestershire.

Eight towns and cities will welcome Britain’s leading race series, highlights of which are again scheduled to be broadcast on television by ITV Sport, over the next three weeks.

“The Tour Series remains as important as ever, especially for men’s squads hoping to qualify for the Tour of Britain, so I have no doubt that we’re in for a thrill,” said race director Mick Bennett.