Vos wins opening stage of women’s Tour de France

AFP, Plumelec :

Veteran Dutch rider Marianne Vos won a bunch sprint to claim victory in the first stage of the women’s Tour de France on Saturday.

Vos, 38 and notching up a 258th career win, was followed across the line in the Breton town of Plumelec by Mauritius’ Kimberley Le Court and France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prevot.

Defending champion Katarzyna Niewiadoma came in fourth, with the same time as Vos.

Another Dutchwoman, and pre-race favourite, Demi Vollering, was three seconds adrift in fifth.

Marlen Reusser, the Swiss rider expected to push for a podium place but laid low by illness in the run-up to the race, withdrew after a crash in the final 30km. Sunday’s second stage is a hilly ride from Brest to Quimper.