Development Milan Donie wins Flèche Ardennaise after an impressive solo of 90 kilometers

What a day for Milan Donie. The rider from the Lotto Dstny Development team claimed victory in the Flèche Ardennaise after a solo effort of a whopping 90 kilometers, securing his first UCI victory. "It wasn't until the final kilometer that I really started to believe I could win," says a delighted Donie.

The day didn't start smoothly for Donie. Just three minutes into the race, he had to change bikes. "Someone hit my derailleur, and I couldn't continue. After changing bikes, I immediately tried to move to the front and attack. That worked out well, and three of us managed to break away. Later, another group caught up, but it didn't work smoothly. So, I just started riding hard to drop the guys who didn't want to contribute. That created a gap, and suddenly I heard Jarno (Widar, ed.) shouting, 'Milan! Go!'. And so it happened. It wasn't exactly the plan to stay ahead alone for the rest of the race (laughs)."

Donie clinches his first victory of the season with the Flèche Ardennaise. "And it's my first-ever UCI win. I'm really thrilled. It remained exciting throughout. Although I had a decent lead - at one point even two and a half minutes - after the final climb, there were only 40 seconds left. The relief at the finish line was immense. Jarno, who provided perfect support for me, finishing second, completes the celebration."

Picture: Flèche Ardennaise