Image source, V Women's Tour

Dani Christmas shaded Illi Gardner to take the first stage of the V-Women's Tour in a five-woman finish at a virtual Bury St Edmunds in which any of 20 riders could have grabbed the win.

Christmas had led the first attempted break at 14.5 kilometres and further breaks - including another from the Lotto Soudal rider - slowly dragged riders from the leading pack before a frantic sprint finish.

Lizzy Banks looked set to repeat her win in the practice race when she broke through to the front with 200m remaining, only to bring a strong response from Gardner and Christmas.

"I had a few times where I lost attention and I had to do a bigger sprint [than at the finish] just to get back to get back to the bunch," said Christmas afterwards. "The legs were nipping a bit at the end but it was fun."

Race 1 result:

1. Dani Christmas (Lotto Soudal) 54mins 51.600 secs
2. Illi Gardner (CAMS-Tifosi) 54:51.604
3. Amelia Sharpe (Team Breeze) 54:51.606
4. Kristen Faulkner (TIBCO SV Bank) 54:51.617
5. Leah Dixon (TIBCO SV Bank) 54:51.648
6. Lizzy Banks (Bigla Katusha) 54:51.894
7. Joss Lowden (Drops) 54:52.155
8. Leigh Ann Ganzar (Rally) 54:52.466
9. Emma Norsgaard (Bigla Katusha) 54:52.811
10. Elizabeth Holden (Bizkaia Durango) 54:52.833

The Women’s Tour is a virtual stage race set up to replace the on-road Women's Tour that was cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It will run for three days so you will still see a winner of each stage, and an overall leader.

Just as in the real world Women’s Tour, a rider's cumulative time across the three stages will be their overall time. There are also no time bonuses, so creating time gaps over your rivals will be crucial.

There is one crucial difference: each team do have the ability to make one replacement during the three stages, in case of injury or illness, or if a rider suffers technical issues that stops them taking part. Any replacement rider on days two or three will be automatically placed at the back of the General Classification standings, with a 20 second time penalty.

Image source, Women's Tour

There will be three different stages and routes on the Women's Tour:

Stage one - the opening stage will consist of 38.7 kilometres using the closing stages of the final stage from the 2014 Women’s Tour into Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.

Stage two - the second stage replicates the finishing circuit of 2019’s hilltop finish at Burton Dassett in Warwickshire, with three ascents of the 1.7 kilometre climb that averages 4.9% during the 35.4 kilometre stage.

Stage three - the tour finishes with a fast paced criterium around the world famous business district of Canary Wharf in London. Riders will face 35 laps of the one kilometre circuit, as used to conclude the inaugural race.

Image source, RGT Cycling

There will be 18 different teams competing in the Women's Tour including Great Britain, Team Breeze and Storey Racing.

Nine-time Paralympic gold medallist Dame Sarah Storey will compete alongside former double Junior World Champion Lucy van der Haar.

US National road race champion Ruth Winder will line up for Trek-Segafredo while the GB and Team Breeze line-ups will be youthful but features Megan Barker, sister of Elinor Barker and Jenny Holl, a European Championship silver medallist in 2019. Holl and Team Breeze's Amelia Sharpe both performed well in test event last week.

You can see the full list of competitors here, external.

Image source, Women's Tour

BBC Sport will have live coverage from all three stages of the Women's Tour.

Coverage will be available live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app and available to catch up for 30 days.

Full coverage details:

Stage two - Thursday 18 June, 19:00-20:00 BST

Stage three - Friday 19 June, 19:00-20:00 BST