Lizzie Deignan takes Women’s Tour lead with stage five victory

Lizzie Deignan moved into the lead in the OVO Energy Women’s Tour after winning the penultimate stage of the race in Builth Wells on Friday.

The 30-year-old from Otley triumphed in a sprint finish over previous stage winner Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Trek-Segafredo team-mate Elisa Longo Borghini to take the leader’s jersey by a single second.

The stage five success was Deignan’s first victory since she returned to the sport following maternity leave.

Deignan said: “I can’t quite really describe it – it was probably the nicest win I’ve had in a very long time. I really savoured and enjoyed it.”

Having broken clear prior to the final Queen of the Mountains sprint, the leading trio kept the peloton at bay as they jostled for position ahead of the finish.

Longo Borghini led her team-mate around the final turn before Deignan pounced to edge her Polish rival and give her the advantage ahead of Saturday’s race conclusion in Carmarthenshire.