Canada's Alison Jackson, front, triumphed at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes ©Getty Images

Canada's Alison Jackson prevailed in a six-way sprint at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes to claim a surprise victory, after several of the favourites for the one-day race had their hopes ended by crashes.

The 34-year-old EF Education-TibcoSVB rider crossed the finish line in 3hrs 42min 56sec after 145.5 kilometres of racing, including 29.2km of cobblestones.

Jackson's powerful finish held off Italy's Katia Ragusa of Liv Racing TeqFind and Fenix-Deceuninck rider Marthe Truyen of Belgium, who placed second and third respectively.

Eugénie Duval of FDJ-Suez in fourth led the French riders at their first home International Cycling Union (UCI) Women's World Tour event of the season, with her compatriot Marion Borras racing in St Michel-Mavic-Auber93 colours placing fifth.

Marta Lach of Poland and Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling rounded off the front six at three seconds adrift.

Race favourite and Tour of Flanders winner Lotte Kopecky of Belgium and SD Worx led the chasing pack at 12 seconds off the pace, mounting a superb recovery from a crash that had been caused by Italy's defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini on the muddy cobbles.

Two-time Olympic medallist Longo Borghini, racing for Trek-Segafredo, was leading a group of riders in pursuit of the breakaway when she slid out with 37km remaining, sparking a pile-up.

She eventually finished 21st in 3:43:19.

Jackson was the first female or male winner of the Paris-Roubaix race from her country, and described the victory as "pretty monumental for Canadian cycling".

"I grew up on a farm and one of my jobs was to go and pick up rocks from the field," she said.

"Now I have my own rock."

The Amstel Gold Race in The Netherlands on April 16 is the next scheduled race on the UCI Women's World Tour, while the men's Paris-Roubaix race is due to take place tomorrow.