The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider launched a late attack on the Poggio ascent to open up a small but decisive gap over Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, Belgium’s Wout van Aert and Italy’s Filippo Ganna in the 294 kilometres race, part of the International Cycling Union World Tour.

The 28-year-old, nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman", crossed the line on the via Roma in 6hrs 25min 23sec to finish 15 seconds ahead of home favourite Ganna, riding for Ineos Grenadiers, with van Aert, in the colours of Jumbo-Visma, third.

"I cannot imagine a better scenario than this one," Van der Poel said after adding another Monument victory to his list after two earlier victories in the Tour of Flanders in 2020 and 2022.

"I already told the team that there was a headwind on Cipressa, so it was not as hard as previous years.

"But I already felt that my legs were still fresh.

"I knew I wanted to place an attack at the end of the Poggio and I managed to find a small gap between Pogacar and the wall.

"This is one of the races I really wanted to win.

"The way I won it today, I think it’s beyond expectation - I’m really happy."

Van der Poel’s grandfather had won this race in 1961, one of the highlights of a career during which he earned the nickname "The Eternal Second", because he never won the Tour de France, despite finishing in second place three times, and in third place five times.

"For sure, it’s special not only because he won it, but because it’s a Monument and it’s one that every rider wants to win," Van der Poel, winner of this year’s UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships for the fifth time in Hoogerheide last month, said.

"I was really focused on this race since I started training again after the cyclo-cross worlds.

"I needed some race days at Tirreno-Adriatico to get to my best level and, today, this was my best level I think."

Slovenia’s defending champion Matej Mohorič, riding for Bahrain-Victorious, finished in the second chase group 26 seconds down to take eighth place.