Alex Edmondson wins under 23 Tour of Flanders

Alex Edmondson has become the first Australian to win the prestigious under 23 Tour of Flanders.

Edmondson won the race in a two-up sprint over Italian Gianni Moscon in Oudenaarde after a challenging 177km.

Three Australians - Edmondson, Miles Scotson and Alex Clements - made the select 40 rider group over the Eikenberg.

Over the Koppenberg Edmondson was part of a nine rider group that would further split to just Edmondson, Moscon and Truls Engen Korsaeth (Norway).

Pretty cool photo racing up the Koppenberg today in #rvvu23! Shows just how tough today was!! @cyclingaustralia #hurtlocker #onwardsandupwards #thegoodlife (Photo credit @joycejason) A photo posted by Alex Edmondson (@alexedmo) on Apr 11, 2015 at 1:37pm PDT

With seven kilometres remaining Edmondson and Moscon had distanced Korsaeth and had a 40 second advantage. Edmondson was able to hold off Moscon for the victory, the biggest of his road career.

Korsaeth finished seven seconds behind the pair, with more than a third of the field failing to finish the cobbled race.

Under 23 Ronde van Vlaanderen: 177km, Oudenaarde

1 Alex Edmondson (AUS) 4hr 29min 4sec

2 Gianni Moscon (ITA)

3 Truls Korsaeth (NOR) Team Joker 0:00:07

4 Nans Peters (FRA) 0:00:54

5 Franck Bonnamour (FRA)

6 Mihkel Raim (EST) 0:01:23

7 Anders Skaarseth (NOR) Team Joker

8 Franck Grelier (FRA) 0:01:37

9 Mads Pederson (DEN) Cult Energy 0:01:39

10 Owain Doull (GBR) Team Wiggins