Mathieu van der Poel has stormed to a second victory in the Paris-Roubaix after the Dutchman launched a stunning solo attack 60 kilometres from the finish line to win his second monument of the year following his Tour of Flanders victory the previous weekend.

On the 260km "Hell of the North" route, which had 29 cobblestone sectors, Van der Poel's victory by three minutes on Sunday local time was the largest winning margin in 22 years as he rode to his sixth monuments victory.

As he crossed the line with his arms outstretched, soaking in the crowd's applause, his time of five hours, 25 minutes and 58 seconds was recorded as the quickest Paris-Roubaix in history.

Van der Poel became only the 10th rider to win both cobbled monuments — the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix — in the same season and only the second rider to do it with the rainbow jersey — worn by the current world champion — after Rik van Looy in 1962.

"I wanted to make the race hard from there (60km out) on because I know that's my strength. I felt super good today and when I had the gap, I knew (I could win) with a tailwind to the finish line for the most part," Van der Poel said.