The first stage of the 2021 Women’s Tour saw the riders start in Bicester. From Bicester, they worked their way into Oxford before heading northwards towards Banbury. The peloton crossed the finish line once before heading out to do a country loop around some of the nearby Oxfordshire villages. When the peloton came back into Banbury for the final, a crash took out some of the key sprinters. Those who were lucky enough to escape the crash took the initiative and the honours. Marta Bastianelli crossed the line first, beating Chloe Hosking in the final metres. Clara Copponi achieved her first Women’s WorldTour podium in 3rd place. Elisa Longo Borghini was a surprise DNF today, the weekend’s efforts in Paris Roubaix exacting a heavy toll on her race fitness.
