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Marta Bastianelli sprints to win opening stage of Women’s Tour of Britain

04-Oct-2021 16:40:58 | The Guardian

• Italian holds off Chloe Hosking to take bunch sprint
• Fatigued Lizzie Deignan finishes well down the field

Marta Bastianelli sprinted to a first-ever stage win in the Women’s Tour of Britain in Banbury, as a last-gasp breakaway was reeled in after attacking on the final climb of stage one, to Sibford Ferris.

The Italian, fifth in Saturday’s Paris-Roubaix Femmes behind race winner Lizzie Deignan, was the fastest finisher after the peloton had caught a five-rider attack on the run-in to Banbury and will now defend the leader’s jersey in Tuesday’s second stage, a circuit starting and finishing in Walsall.