Disclosed are highly resilient and cohesive gels formed by the cross-linking of hyaluronan or hylan, their salts or derivatives thereof, using divinyl sulfone (DVS) as the cross-linking agent. Also disclosed are viscoelastic fluids containing alkylsulfone groups covalently attached to the backbone of the polymer, formed by the mono-functionalization of the cross-linking monomer DVS with hyaluronan and/or hylan. Mechanical properties such as values of hardness and cohesiveness are specified by the rheological properties of the gels. Also disclosed are methods for the preparation of such products. They have use in many applications as injectable and/or implantable devices and as drug delivery systems.