Europe 1 with AFP 19:19 p.m., April 12, 2023

French rider Dorian Godon of AG2R Citroën won the Belgian semi-classic La Flèche Brabançonne on Wednesday in Overijse. He became the fifth Frenchman to win the race after Sylvain Chavanel (2008), Anthony Geslin (2009), Thomas Voeckler (2012) and Julian Alaphilippe (2020).

Frenchman Dorian Godon (AG2R-Citroën) scored "the greatest success of (his) career" by winning the Brabant Fleche after a two-man sprint won against his breakaway companion, Irishman Ben Healy, on Wednesday in Overijse in the Brussels suburbs. Another Frenchman Benoît Cosnefroy completed the triumph of the AG2R formation by taking third place ahead of his two compatriots Rémi Cavagna and Axel Zingle.

Godon, 26, was part of a six-man breakaway initiated by former France champion Remi Cavagna 38 kilometres from the line. The latter could not keep up with Godon and Healy when they placed a start in the penultimate difficulty of the day 18 terminals from the finish. Cavagna, victim of a slow puncture in the last kilometers, even had to let slip the podium, a new disappointment for the Soudal-Quick Step team, little spared by the guigne in recent weeks. "I didn't have a very good feeling when the breakaway of six took shape but I gradually found my legs. And in a two-man sprint, I wasn't going to give up: we have so few opportunities to play for the win," commented Godon who scored his seventh success as a professional.

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Third French success

After Christophe Laporte's successes in Ghent-Wevelgem and Through Flanders, this is a third French victory in a Belgian classic this spring. "The team was rather unhappy in the Flandriennes. Here, we do 'one' and 'three' with Benoît who arrives very fit for the Ardennes. It feels really good, "continued the Ile-de-France who had never won outside France.

"This is my greatest victory. When you look at the palmares, there are many big names, "concluded the one who adds his name to the roll of honor of a race that mentions among others Peter Sagan, Tom Pidcock, Philippe Gilbert, Mathieu van der Poel or Julian Alaphilippe, forfeit this year because of knee pain.