Women's Tour: Britain's Lizzie Deignan takes second as Marianne Vos claims overall lead

12th Jun 2019 | Source: BBC

Lizzie Deignan, here wearing the jersey for the leading British rider, gave birth to daughter Orla eight months ago

Britain's Lizzie Deignan came second on stage two of the Women's Tour to secure a first podium since returning to the sport after the birth of her daughter.

Dutch rider Marianne Vos, like Deignan both an ex-world champion and former winner of the Women's Tour, won a bunch sprint in Kent to take the overall lead and heads Deignan by nine seconds.

Boels-Dolmans' Amy Pieters sits third overall, equal with Deignan's time.

"Really happy with my first podium in a long time," Deignan, 30, tweeted.

"Thanks to my incredible team-mates, they deserved the win but I was not fast enough. Looking forward to the rest of the Women's Tour."

The Briton's Trek-Segafredo team increased the pace as the 62.5km stage edged towards its conclusion, but it was not enough to tire inaugural Women's Tour winner and three-time world champion Vos after a relentless 25 laps of Kent's Cyclopark.

Deignan, Women's Tour winner in 2016, was awarded British Cycling's Best British Rider jersey and leads 21-year-old Eleanor Dickinson by 13 seconds in that classification.

Wednesday's 145.1km third stage takes place in Oxfordshire, beginning in Henley-on-Thames and finishing at Blenheim Palace.