Lorena Wiebes outkicks stellar field to take first stage of

Dutch rider outsprints Letizia Paternoster in ColchesterEarly breakaway on twisting terrain reeled in with 16km to go

The Tour de France Femmes stage winner Lorena Wiebes of the SDWorx Pro-Time team won the opening stage of the Ford RideLondon Classique, outsprinting Letizia Paternoster of Liv AlUla Jayco in Colchester.

Wiebes was expertly shepherded to the uphill finish by her teammate, the world road race champion, Lotte Kopecky. Her explosive acceleration proved far too much for her rivals as the Dutch rider, winner of the points classification and general classification in RideLondon in 2022, emphasised her superiority.