The 22-year-old, who won cross-country mountain bike gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics last year, was the pre-race favourite and lived up to that billing.

Pidcock made his big move on lap four, establishing a healthy lead over World Cup champion Eli Iserbyt which the he would not relinquish.

So large was Pidcock's lead approaching the end of the eighth and final lap in Arkansas, he was able to slalom towards the finish line and even assume a Superman pose on the bike.

Bulgium's Iserbyt was beaten to the line by Dutchman Lars van der Haar, so had to settle for third place.

Van der Haar has now been on the senior podium three times, but has never won a world title, and crossed the line 30sec behind Pidock.

Pidcock's senior world title follows under-23 and junior triumphs, and further underlines his status as one of cycling's rising stars - if he is not already among the sport's most distinguished athletes.

Puck Pieterse led a Dutch one-two-three in the women's under-23 race, narrowly holding on to the lead and edging out Shirin van Anrooij in a photo finish.

Fem van Empel, 12sec back, completed the podium.

Jan Chrisen from Switzerland won the junior men's contest in similarly dramatic fashion, overtaking the Belgian Aaron Dockx on the final straight.

Britain's Nathan Smith was third as all three riders were given the same time.

Today was the last day of the Cyclo-cross World Championships.