By contrast, the women’s race went to the hugely experienced Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen, the Olympic road race champion.

Benoot, riding for Lotto Soudal, earned a spectacular solo victory after accelerating away on the final section from Romain Bardet of France and compatriot Wout van Aert in 5 hours 03min 33sec.

Bardet was second over the 184 kilometres men’s course, 39 seconds behind, and Van Aert third at 58, in this International Cycling Union (UCI) WorldTour event. 

This annual one-day Italian Classic  was first run only in 2007 but has become hugely popular.

It starts and finishes in Siena means "White Streets" - a reference to the historic white gravel roads that form more than 50km of the course.

But after a week of snow riders found themselves making their way through sloppy dirt tracks for much of the race.

Benoot had raised hopes within the cycling world in general and his native country in particular when he finished fifth in the Tour of Flanders three years ago.

"I always said it would be there one day, and I won’t win a lot of races, but when I win it can be a big one," Benoot said. 

"I was already eighth here twice, so I knew this race suits me very well.

"Eventually it turned out well today.

"In Belgium the journalists get crazy when a young guy makes nice results, so I had some pressure to have a first win."

Van der Breggen, riding for Boels Dolmans, got her 2018 race programme underway with a win after seeing off the lingering challenge of last year's winner, Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini, in a race that is part of the UCI Women's World Tour. 

The Dutch rider attacked on the penultimate gravel sector of the women’s 136km course, and when Longo Borghini dropped back due to a mechanical problem, Van der Breggen made good her advantage.

Poland’s Katarzyna Niewiadoma took up the challenge to finish runner-up in this race for the third year in a row, with Longo Borghini safeguarding her place on the podium.