Awesome Nuis continues fine form

The Dutchman has been in scintillating form so far this season, adding home ice success to victories in Harbin and Nagano to move 70 points clear atop the overall standings.

The 27-year-old dominated from start to finish, but it was in the middle period where his pace really came to the fore, going from 200m to 600m within 25 seconds.

It proved enough to hold on to the advantage, crossing in 1:08.21 ahead of America's Shani Davis, while Korea's Jin-Su Kim was just six-hundredths further back to take the podium's last spot.

Elsewhere, Martina Sablikova once again proved to be no match in the Ladies 3000m in Heerenveen, completing a fourth successive victory, the three-time Olympic gold medallist continuing to show her class.

The Czech star stopped the clock after 6:57.64 – the only racer to finish under seven minutes, going to a perfect 400 points in the World Cup series.'

Russia's Anna Yurakova could only pick up 50 points in the Netherlands, losing ground on the leader while Claudia Pechstein, who finished second in the race, back in third.

And Pechstein's presence on the podium wasn't the only joy for Germany, Moritz Geisreiter taking a frantic 10,000m race by just 1.48 seconds ahead of Ryosuke Tsuchiya of Japan.

It was a first victory in the World Cup for the 28-year-old.