French cyclist Clara Copponi won the opening stage of the Women’s Tour 2022 in Bury St Edmunds.
The FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope rider beat Italy’s Sofia Bertizzolo and Elena Cecchini in a bunch sprint, while Britain’s Alice Barnes finished fourth.
Multiple riders, including pre-stage favourite Lorena Wiebes of Team DSM, crashed in the final corner with just 300 metres to go.
It is the first road-racing victory of Copponi’s career.
The 23-year-old finished the 142.1km-route from Colchester to Bury St Edmunds in three hours 40 minutes 15 seconds.
The race was stopped with 35km left to allow emergency services to attend a road accident on the race course ahead of the peloton.
Great Britain’s lone leader Danielle Shrosbree, who had a one-minute 10-second advantage before the race was paused, was reeled in with 15km remaining.
The Women’s Tour is the UK’s leading international women’s stage race and is one of 10 stage races on the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar.