Australian Matthew Goss of the HTC-Highroad team claimed the biggest victory of his career when he sprinted to victory in Milan-Sanremo, held over 298km, on Saturday.
Goss proved strongest in an eight-man finish following a thrilling finale that featured several attacks and counter-attacks.
Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, the 2008 champion who rides for Leopard-Trek, was second, with Belgian Philippe Gilbert of Omega-Pharma finishing third.
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"I knew I'd been going well, I knew I could get a good result, but actually to get the win is incredible," said Goss, who becomes his team's second winner of the race in three years after Mark Cavendish's victory in 2009.
"I knew Gilbert was dangerous and would try for an attack on the Poggio (climb), so I rode across to that front group just as we reached the top, and once I was with them I knew I was in with a chance."
The Cipressa and Poggio climbs, near the end of the race, often prove decisive in eliminating some of the contenders as the peloton picks up the pace in a bid to drop the sprinters before the finale.
Goss can climb and sprint, but gave himself an extra chance of success.
"It was an advantage knowing the route. I live nearby and I've trained over the Poggio a few times in the last few days just to check it again," added the Australian.
"The descent was fast, but it wasn't too tricky because fortunately it wasn't wet, and with 500 metres to go I just gave it everything I had and hoped for the best."
Cancellara and Gilbert both felt they had paid for their reputations in the finish.
"I tried to arrive on my own (at the end) but everyone else had my wheel," complained Cancellara.
"I think I had one of the best sprints of my life but Goss was very strong."
Gilbert added: "I was on my own (without team-mates) in the final kilometres. I was watched closely."
Another Belgian, Greg Van Avermaet of BMC, had made a long break for home inside the final 8km but he was reeled in with just over 2km to race, after which several riders had a crack.
Gilbert, a stage winner in the recent Tirreno-Adriatico, attacked inside the final 2km but couldn't hold on to his small advantage and it came down to a sprint.
Italian Michele Scarponi of Lampre was first to make a bid for home, followed by Gilbert but Goss -- the only real sprinter among the finishers -- had the legs on all of them and came over the finish with his arms in the air in triumph.
Goss had been part of a select group of riders that had managed to stay at the front and leave the main chasing peloton behind around 70km from home.
Several other contenders, including British sprinter Mark Cavendish, the winner in 2009, world champion Thor Hushovd and three-time winner Oscar Friere, were caught in the second group and were forced to chase in vain for two hours.
Tasmanian Goss won a stage at Paris-Nice almost two weeks ago, however this victory -- his and Australia's first in the race -- trumps all his previous career wins.
With stage victories in the Tour Down Under, the Tour of Oman, and most recently in Paris-Nice, Goss has an impressive eight wins so far this season.
"It's been absolutely incredible," said Goss. "I couldn't have dreamed up a better start to the year."
Milan-Sanremo was first held in 1907 and is one of five one-day classic 'monuments' in cycling alongside the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Tour of Lombardy.
