Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) was in a different league again as he stormed to a second title at Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
The Slovenian, returning to the scene of his fractured wrist a year ago, took off with 34km remaining and quickly found himself alone on the Ardennes tarmac.
In-form duo Van der Poel and Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) were caught up in a big crash with 97km remaining and although they latched back onto the front group before Pogacar escaped, it was energy they could ill-afford to spend if they wanted to live with the 25-year-old sensation.