Race in Wallonia: Davide Donati edges competitors in thrilling final sprint, claiming unexpected win on stage 3
Tour de Wallonie 2023: Davide Donati Secures Maiden Professional Victory
In a thrilling turn of events at the Tour de Wallonie, 20-year-old Davide Donati claimed his first professional victory on stage 3. The Italian rider, currently part of the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe Rookies development team, rode as a guest with the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe WorldTour team.
The stage began with an early breakaway consisting of Eddy Le Huitouze (Groupama-FDJ), Henri-François Renard-Haquin (Wagner Bazin WB), Rasmus Wallin (Uno-X Mobility), and a group of 11 other riders, including Davide Donati's teammate Alex Kirsch, Tom Van Asbroeck (Israel-Premier Tech), Toon Aerts (Lotto), and Kim Heiduk (Ineos Grenadiers).
The gap between the breakaway and the peloton was minimal throughout the race, with Israel-Premier Tech, riding for stage 1 winner Corbin Strong and a sprint finish, keeping the early break under control. However, in the final kilometres, the breakaway riders attacked each other, causing the peloton to chase.
In the sprint, Donati beat Milan Fretin (Cofidis), Anders Foldager (Jayco-AlUla), and Strong who finished fourth. The victory came as a surprise to Donati, who raised his arms in celebration after crossing the finish line.
The race lead was kept by Oliver Knight of Cofidis, who agreed to a new contract for 2026 and 2027 with the French team. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) attempted to shake the peloton with a move on the cobbled climb in Antoing, sweeping up bonus seconds, but was eventually caught before the finish line.
This marks a significant milestone in Donati's career, and he will undoubtedly look to build on this victory in the remaining stages of the Tour de Wallonie.
[1] ProCyclingStats official website's 2025 edition page for Tour de Wallonie [3] CyclingNews archives from July 2025 [5] The official Tour de Wallonie website or social media archives
Sports enthusiasts should take note of Davide Donati's first professional victory at the Tour de Wallonie 2023, as he heads into the remaining stages with newfound confidence. The Italian rider's career milestone can be found on ProCyclingStats' official website for the 2025 Tour de Wallonie edition or on the official Tour de Wallonie website or social media archives, along with other race details and results.
