La Fleche Wallonne: Steve Williams becomes first Brit to win spring classic
Welshman Steve Williams pulled off the biggest victory of his career by winning La Fleche Wallonne in Belgium.
The Israel-Premier Tech rider became the first British winner of the 88-year-old spring classic.
But fellow Brit Tom Pidcock was among several high-profile riders to abandon amid torrential conditions in Ardennes.
"I'm so happy. I've watched this race so many times on television and dreamed of coming with good legs to try to win it. I'm on cloud nine," Williams said.
"I saw the 300m to go line and I thought if I could put five seconds into the group and get near the line, then I could hold on."
Williams, 27, came into the race on the back of victory in the Tour Down Under and a series of strong displays at the Volta a Catalunya but few predicted this surprise win.
He thrived in the rain-soaked conditions that saw several leading contenders, such as Pidcock, Mattias Skjelmose and Tiesj Benoot, on the wrong side of a split.
Danish rider Soren Krach Andersen opened up an initial two-minute gap on the reduced peloton.
The 124-mile (199km) course from Charleroi to Huy finished with a fourth assent of the Mur de Huy climb, on which Williams held off Frenchman Kevin Vauquelin and Belgian Maxim Van Gils.
Williams added: "I do enjoy racing this kind of weather and to come away with a victory - I'm just over the moon.
"The boys backed me all day and they gave me the best chance to get a result. To come away with the win here is really special."
La Fleche Wallonne men's result
1. Stephen Williams (GB/Israel-PT) 4hrs 40mins 24secs
2. Kévin Vauquelin (FRA/Arkea-B&B Hotels) Same time
3. Maxim Van Gils (BEL/Lotto DSTNY) +3secs
4. Benoît Cosnefroy (FRA/Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)
5. Santiago Buitrago (COL/Bahrain Victorious)
