Unstoppable Lizzie Deignan solos to history at Paris-Roubaix Femmes

ROUBAIX, France (VN) — Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) stormed into the history books Saturday with a picture-perfect race to win the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes.

The British star attacked on the first cobbles, and never looked back.

The 2015 world champion dropped the hammer with more than 80km to go, stayed upright, and avoided traffic to finish alone in the photo in cycling’s most famous velodrome.

“I feel so incredibly proud,” Deignan said. “The athletes proved today we can do one of the hardest races of the world, and I am so proud I am the first winner of one of the hardest races of the world.”

Marianne Vos (Jumbo Visma) put up a brave fight, opening up a late attack on the Carrefour de l’Arbre sector, but could not bring back the Brit.

🏆🇬🇧 @lizziedeignan wins the first #ParisRoubaixFemmes!

🏆 🇬🇧@lizziedeignan remporte le premier #ParisRoubaixFemmes ! pic.twitter.com/Sg2tj8HIjd

— Paris-Roubaix (@Paris_Roubaix) October 2, 2021

Vos hit second, with Elisa Longo Borghini finishing third to give Trek-Segafredo two of three spots on the final podium.

Nerves, emotions riding high at start

Nerves and emotions were riding high at the start for the historic first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, even more so following overnight rain that left some sectors covered in mud.

Some 129 riders started in Deinan, and after 34km of three laps of a paved circuit, the main pack sprinted onto the first major sector of cobbles with 85km to go.

Also read: Review all the action in the Paris-Roubaix Femmes live updates

Deignan opened up a gap north of one minute after the opening sectors as the main bunch fractured under crashes, punctures and the general chaos that comes with racing on the cobbles.

“That really wasn’t the plan,” Deignan said. “The plan was to be at the front on the first cobbles, and I looked behind me, and there was no one there. So I just kept going.”

Overnight rain left some pavé sectors slicker than ice, and several riders, including newly minted world champion Elisa Balsamo, were sent clattering to the ground.

Deignan did not relent and steered clear of danger when a seven-rider group formed following some flares from Marianne Vos.

Vos gives chase, but too late

Conditions worsened as the race unfolded. Overnight rain turned the already treacherous cobbles into an extra challenge, and light rain fell in the final hour of racing.

Vos led a concerted chase with 35km to go, and a group of chasing seven formed to keep Deignan on a leash of just more than two minutes.

Vos decided it was too late to wait, and jumped ahead of the Carrefour de l’Arbre sector with 20km to go, and it was a smart move. A few riders crashed out of the chase group behind her, including Ellen van Dijk,

Vos trimmed the gap to nearly a minute, but Deignan turned on her TT motor once she cleared the Carrefour. Longo Borghini survived the bedlam to give chase in Vos’s wake.

The closing kilometers was a pursuit race between the two titans of women’s racing. Deignan — alone at the front all day — was alone at the finish line.

History was made Saturday with an exclamation point.