Women's Tour: Katarzyna Niewiadoma claims victory on stage one

The win was the first of the year for the Polish national champion

Poland's Katarzyna Niewiadoma claimed a solo victory on the opening stage of the Women's Tour in Northamptonshire.

The 22-year-old broke clear with a little under 50km remaining to win by one minute, 42 seconds.

Marianne Vos, winner of the inaugural Women's Tour in 2014, came second. Alice Barnes, 21, was the top British rider in seventh place.

Britain's Lizzie Deignan, the 2016 winner, finished in 39th place, one minute and 50 seconds back.

• Women's Tour stage one as it happened

Dutch rider Vos won a sprint for the minor places at the end of the 147.5km stage from Daventry to Kettering.

Thursday's stage two, 144km around Stoke-on-Trent, contains a number of testing climbs and should shape the general classification battle, before the sprinters can expect to have their chance in Leamington Spa on Friday.

Saturday's stage is a circular route starting and finishing in Chesterfield, while the race concludes with a stage in London on Sunday.

Stage one result

1. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol/WM3) 3hrs 51mins 39secs

2. Marianne Vos (Ned/WM3) +1min 42secs

3. Christine Majerus (Lux/Boels Dolmans) Same time

4. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita/Wiggle High5)

5. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus/Canyon Sram)

Selected others: 39 Lizzie Deignan (GB/Boels Dolmans) +1min 50secs