Nicole Cooke timed her attack to perfection in the Amstel Gold Race

The 75-mile race in the Netherlands, stage four of the World Cup, also gives Cooke her first win in the prestigious competition.

"I've had two second places already and both times it had been a slight mistake on my part that cost me victory," Cooke told BBC Sport.

"I was concentrating my hardest today (Sunday) and it all went well for me."

After a fairly inactive first 50 miles, the race came to life when Australian Oenone Wood broke away from the field on the Keutenberg climb.

This was a massive victory. I'm really happy. Nicole Cooke

But Cooke and Dori Ruano, a team-mate last season, soon closed the 15 second gap to catch Wood.

The three headed towards the final climb of the Cauberg with a slender lead over the peloton.

With some 400 metres to go, Cooke launched her attack and managed to stay in front with a typically determined sprint finish to win by two seconds.

The World Cup, a series of nine one-day races, is third only to the Olympic Games and the World Championships in terms of significance.

Cooke's victory, therefore, represents one of the her finest days in her fledgling professional career.

"I was absolutely over the moon to win," she said. "This was a massive victory. I'm really happy.

"To win one round of the World Cup is one of the biggest races in the women's calendar so I'm absolutely ecstatic with the victory."

Cooke is the first British rider to win a World Cup race and moves into fifth place overall in the World Cup standings.

But the 20-year-old from the Vale of Glamorgan does not have much time to celebrate her win.

The next round of the World Cup is in Belgium on Wednesday.

Cooke added: "I'll just have to recover as best as I can, and even though I'll be marked on Wednesday, I'll be giving it my very best to try to get another good result for the team."