Tour de Yorkshire 2017: Lizzie Deignan returns for women's race

Deignan finished fifth in the women's road race at last year's Rio Olympics

Former world champion Lizzie Deignan has confirmed her return to the Women's Tour de Yorkshire next month.

The Otley-born 28-year-old finished on the same time as winner Kirsten Wild in last year's race but was placed 26th after being caught by the peloton.

The women's one-day race will take place on the same course as the second stage of the men's race, on 29 April.

Competitors will tackle a 122.5km route from Tadcaster to an uphill sprint finish at Harrogate.

"I'm really excited to be riding the Tour de Yorkshire again and am looking forward to being back on home turf," said Deignan, who won the world title in 2015 and Britain's first medal at London 2012 with silver in the Olympic road race.

"It's a more challenging route this year and that's one of the great things about the Tour de Yorkshire, that we're able to compete on the exact same roads as the men."