In what was the third of the International Cycling Union (UCI) World Tour Ardennes Classics races to be held in eight days, the Astana rider dropped his rivals – including Wednesday’s (April 24) winner of La Flèche Wallone, France’s Julian Alaphilippe – during the last climb with 13 kilometres to go on the 256km course.

The 34-year-old Dutchman stayed clear but, in the final 5km, he narrowly managed to avoid a calamitous crash as he slipped on a wet descent.

"That slide was a scary moment," he said.

"But it gave me a bit of adrenaline for the last part. It's an amazing feeling."

It is the first 'monument' victory of Fuglsang's career.

The five monuments are cycling's oldest and most prestigious one-day races, with Il Lombardia the only one remaining this season on October 12.

Fuglsang has finished on the podium in all three of this year's Ardennes Classics, having also taken third at the Amstel Gold race on April 21 and finishing second in Wednesday’s La Flèche Wallone.

The Dane finished in 6hr 37min 37sec, with Italy's Davide Formolo, riding for Bora Hansgrohe, second at 27 seconds back, another Bora rider, Germany's Max Schachmann, third at 57 seconds and Britain's Adam Yates fourth on the same time.

The women’s race followed a similar pattern as victory went to 36-year-old Annemiek van Vleuten, who had also reached the podium in the two previous Ardennes Classics.

The world time trial champion made a decisive move with 32km to go of the 138.5km course from Bastogne to Liège, thus frustrating the ambition of her Dutch compatriot, Anna van der Breggen, of winning a third successive title.

Van Vleuten secured her second UCI World Tour title of the season, following her Strade Bianche, in 3hr 42min 10sec.

Compatriot Floortje Mackaij, riding for Sunweb, was second, 1min 39sec behind, with third place going to another Dutch rider, Demi Vollering, who was at 1.43.