Le Court wins stage one of Tour of Britain Women

4 weeks ago

Media caption,

Le Court outsprints Faulkner to return first shape of Tour of Britain Women

Alex Fletcher

BBC Sport journalist

Kim le Court sewage nan amended of Kristen Faulkner successful a two-up sprint decorativeness to triumph nan first shape of nan Tour of Britain Women.

The brace attacked and went clear of nan peloton pinch 30km to spell and past held disconnected nan chasing pack.

Mauritian Le Court, 29, launched her sprint from nan beforehand pinch conscionable complete 200m to spell and outlasted nan American Olympic roadworthy title champion to nan line.

Lorena Wiebes led location a much-reduced bunch successful third, 5 seconds behind, while British riders Cat Ferguson and Millie Couzens vanished 5th and sixth.

Two-time champion Lizzie Deignan vanished 20th arsenic she races successful Britain for nan last clip earlier retiring.

Last twelvemonth Le Court became nan first Mauritian rider to compete successful nan World Tour, and she won nan prestigious Liege-Bastogne-Liege one-day title successful April.

The four-day Tour of Britain Women began pinch an 81.5km shape successful North Yorkshire betwixt Dalby Forest and Redcar.

The riders faced 2 classified climbs, astatine Blakey Ridge and Langburn's Bank, pinch Le Court starting her onslaught astatine nan bottommost of nan latter, pinch Faulkner successful pursuit.

Behind nan lead brace nan peloton split, pinch FDJ-Suez and Movistar starring nan pursuit from a reduced group which was 34 seconds down pinch 28km to go.

Faulkner almost collapsed retired of nan title pinch 15km to go, misjudging a area and narrowly avoiding a postulation island.

Le Court waited for her to regain momentum and nan 2 continued pinch their break until nan finish, earlier winning nan sprint to return nan leader's jersey.

Friday's 2nd shape is complete a 114.3km way betwixt Hartlepool and Saltburn-by-the-sea.