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Welshman Stephen Williams pulled off the biggest victory of his career by winning La Fleche Wallonne in Belgium.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Israel-Premier Tech rider, 27, is the first British male winner of the 88-year-old spring classic.<\/p>\n
But fellow Briton Tom Pidcock was among several riders to abandon the race amid torrential conditions in Ardennes.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Williams came into the race on the back of victory in the Tour Down Under<\/a> and a series of strong displays at the Volta a Catalunya but few predicted this surprise win.<\/p>\n He thrived in the rain-soaked conditions which saw several leading contenders abandon, such as Pidcock, Mattias Skjelmose and Tiesj Benoot, and only 44 riders finish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n