Giro Rosa: Lizzy Banks wins stage eight as Annemiek van Vleuten retains lead

Lizzy Banks en route to stage eight victory at Giro RosaGetty Images

Banks won the stage by a commanding 30 seconds in Maniago

Britain's Lizzy Banks claimed her first professional victory in the eighth stage of the Giro Rosa in Maniago.

The 28-year-old, who only began cycling in 2015, attacked from a group of 10 riders with 10km left and said: "To do it at the Giro, I'm pretty emotional."

Banks moved from 68th to 53rd place overall, 42 minutes and 42 seconds behind leader Annemiek van Vleuten.

The Netherlands rider increased her advantage over compatriot Anna van der Breggen to four minutes 11 seconds.

Banks, who was seventh in last month's Women's Tour won by Lizzie Deignan, finished a commanding 30 seconds ahead, with team-mate Leah Thomas second and said: "Leah went up the road, some people followed and I bridged across and we were the only team with two.

"So we knew we had to keep it rolling until we got a gap, the peloton let us get a gap, and then about 15km to go we knew we had to go.

"Leah attacked, I was fully on the limit but we knew that was the moment we had to go. With Leah being second as well, it's the best feeling in the world."

Saturday's penultimate stage is a 125km mountain run from Gemona to Chiusaforte/Malga Montasio.

Stage eight result

1. Lizzy Banks (GB/Bigla) 3hrs 38mins 17secs

2. Leah Thomas (US/Bigla) +30secs

3. Soraya Paladin (Ita/Ale Cipollini) same time

4. Malgorzata Jasinska (Pol/Movistar) same time

5. Sofie De Vuyst (Bel/Parkhotel Valkenburg) same time

6. Kathrin Hammes (Ger/WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling) same time

7. Paulien Rooijakkers (Ned/CCC-Liv) same time

8. Shara Gillow (Aus/FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) same time

9. Ruth Winder (US/Trek-Segafredo) same time

10. Alice-Maria Arzuffi (Ita/Valcar-Cylance) same time

General classification after stage eight

1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned/Mitchelton-Scott) 18hrs 43mins 01secs

2. Anna van der Breggen (Ned/Boels-Dolmans) +4mins 11secs

3. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol/Canyon-SRAM) +4mins 26secs

4. Lucinda Brand (Ned/Sunweb) +5mins 26secs

5. Amanda Spratt (Aus/Mitchelton-Scott) +5mins 33secs

6. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/Trek-Segafredo) +5mins 46secs

7. Soraya Paladin (Ita/Ale-Cipollini) +6mins 06secs

8. Katharine Hall (USA/Boels-Dolmans) +6mins 23secs

9. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (SA/CCC Liv) +6mins 42 secs

10. Erica Magnaldi (Ita/WNT-Rotor) +6mins 49secs