Women’s Tour 2021 - Former world champion Marta Bastianelli sprints to stage one victory in Banbury

ByRichard Newman

Updated 04/10/2021 at 14:46 GMT

Marta Bastianelli just outlasted Chloe Hosking and Clara Copponi to take the win on the opening day of the Women’s Tour, which started in Bicester and ended with a sprint finish in Banbury. Defending champion Lizzie Deignan, who won Paris-Roubaix at the weekend, was not able to trouble the podium on day one.

Former world road race champion Marta Bastianelli took stage one of the Women’s Tour, as the event returned following a two year absence because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Alé BTC Ljubljana rider held off a bunch sprint to win the opening stage in Banbury, ahead of Australia’s Chloe Hosking (Trek-Segafredo) and Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope).

With 5km to go, a breakaway group of five cyclists held a 15 second lead, but that was quickly eaten away by the peloton in the closing stages, with Bastianelli taking a tight victory on the line.

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Defending champion Lizzie Deignan, who took a stunning Paris-Roubaix win at the weekend, was not able to trouble the podium, but may feel there are better opportunities to come over the remaining five stages.

Stage two will take place entirely in Walsall, with a 10 laps of a 10km circuit, including three intermediate sprints, with the final 6.5km almost entirely downstage to the line.

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