Vos, now 34, had not won this world title since 2014, but cemented her status as the discipline's greatest rider of all time by earning a record-breaking eighth rainbow jersey at the conclusion of a gruelling duel.

Brand and Vos quickly established themselves as the front two in Arkansas, exchanging the lead as neither Dutch rider was able to pull clear of the other.

The back-and-forth continued all the way to the finish, where Vos weaved out from the Brand slipstream at the last moment to dart ahead and claim the victory.

Vos officially completed seven laps of the course - measuring 2 kilometres - in 55 minutes dead.

Brand was one second back and Silvia Persico 51 behind the leader in third place.

Italy's Persico was the only non-Dutch rider in the top six, with past winner Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado fourth.

Vos' eight cyclo-cross world titles moves her clear of Belgian great Erik De Vlaeminck, who won seven men's crowns between 1966 and 1973.

Belgium locked out the podium in the men's under-23 race, with Joran Wyseure claiming the victory.

Wyseure had time to high-five spectators and collect a Belgian flag before crossing the line, such was his dominance, and there was a 13-second cushion between Wyseure and runner-up Emiel Verstrynge.

Thibau Nys was third, outsprinting Dutchman Mees Hendrikx to complete the podium.

Britain's Zoe Backstedt won the women's junior race - open to athletes born in 2004 and 2005 - ahead of Dutch pair Leonie Beltveld and Lauren Molengraaf.