Great Britain's Lizzie Deignan takes historic victory at first ever Paris-Roubaix Femmes

Great Britain's Lizzie Deignan took a historic victory at the first ever edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes.

The 32-year-old Trek-Segafredo rider went solo with around 82km to go to take an assured victory at the inaugural women's 'Hell of the North'. 

As the riders hit the very first section of cobbles it was Deignan who emerged with a small gap on the rest of the bunch. 

She pushed on and behind her the rest of the race exploded as the rain began to fall and the muddy cobbles led to a number of crashes.

A chasing group containing Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek-Segafredo), Marianne Vos (Jumbo Visma) and Marta Bastianelli (Ale BTC Ljubljana), among others tried in vain to bring back the British rider.

With 16km to go Vos set off in pursuit and the gap began to tumble but Deignan kept calm, and upright, as the Dutch rider thundered over the cobbles behind her.

Deignan rode into the Roubaix velodrome, 125 years after the first male winner of the race first did so, with a smile on her face. 

Crossing the line she grinned and raised her arms aloft. 

Commentating, former world Champion and Olympic gold medalist, Dani Rowe said: "For Lizzie, this will mean it has all paid off. She has put so much work into this."

The first sector of pavé in the first #ParisRoubaixFemmes and Lizzie Deignan leads, big group behind... pic.twitter.com/RUbbf9Bu5q

— The Cycling Podcast (@cycling_podcast) October 2, 2021

Paris-Roubaix is one of the oldest, and most historic, races on the cycling calendar, having launched way back in 1896 and hosted no less than 117 editions since.

It was stopped only for the two world wars and the COVID-19 pandemic. This year is the first time women have had their own version of the race. 

Skills from @lizziedeignan at #ParisRoubaixFemmes. pic.twitter.com/i1eQ0L2fGP

— Phil Jones (@roadphil) October 2, 2021

Today's 115.6km-long route from Denain to Roubaix featured 17 cobblestone sectors before finishing at the world-renowned Roubaix Velodrome.