The Dutchman headed into the first of three World Cup races in Belgium as favourite, having earned recent victories at Bern in Switzerland and Tabor in the Czech Republic.

Van der Poel, also crowned European champion earlier this month, took control of the men’s elite race on the opening lap in Koksijde.

He finished the lap with a 15-second advantage over his nearest challengers, who were unable to close the gap in the remaining eight laps of the sandy course.

World champion Wout Van Aert struggled early on, with the Belgian crashing on the first lap to put him down the field.

He battled back impressively in the remaining laps to move into second place, but the gap between him and van de Poel hovered at nearly 25 seconds for much of the race.

Van der Poel clinched the victory in a time of 1 hour 04min 13sec, with Van Aert forced to settle for second place 25 seconds behind.

The podium was completed by current World Cup leader Toon Aerts, the Belgian rider crossing the line 48 seconds after the winner.

Aerts continues to head the overall standings on 350 points, with Van Aert in second place on 328.

Van de Poel moved up to seventh place overall on 240 points after missing the opening two races of the season.

There was further Dutch success with Denise Betsema securing a maiden World Cup victory.

She formed part of a chasing group during the early laps of the race, with world champion Sanne Cant of Belgium, Annemarie Worst of the Netherlands and Britain’s Nikki Brammeier featuring among the leaders.

Betsema bridged across to the leaders and hit the front in the closing stages of the five lap race.

She went head-to-head with Brammeier when the pair entered the final lap together, the Dutch rider ultimately pulling clear.

Betsema finished in a winning time of 45:53, with Brammmeier coming across the line at eight seconds down.

The Briton had been forced to hold off Worst in the closing stages as the Dutchwomen finished a further three seconds behind to complete the podium places.

Reigning World Cup champion Cant faded to seventh place, with series leader Marianne Vos of The Netherlands ending a challenging race in 12th position.

Vos remains at the top of the overall standings on 264 points, nine clear of second placed Cant.

Britain’s Tom Pidcock won his second straight men’s under-23 World Cup race, the 19-year-old triumphing in a time of 46:46.

He was followed by France’s Antoine Benoist and the Netherlands’ Jen Dekker, who clocked 47:14 and 47:28 respectively.

Pim Ronhaar won the men’s junior race in 41:22, the Dutch rider followed by Belgium’s Witse Meeussen, who clocked 41:41.

A time of 41:56 proved enough for Germany’s Tom Lindner to round off the top three.

The World Cup is due continue with two further stops in Belgium next month, with Namur and Heusden-Zolder due to host races.