Roldan wins stage two as Faulkner takes overall lead

Canada’s Mara Roldan won stage two of the Lloyd’s Tour of Britain Women as Kristen Faulkner of the United States took the leader’s green jersey.

Roldan, 21, of Team Picnic-Post NL broke away with 14km to go on the short steep climbs into Saltburn.

Britain’s 19-year-old Cat Ferguson finished fifth for the second day in a row to move up to fourth in the general classification, just 14 seconds down.

Ferguson, who rides for the Movistar World Tour team, and is considered one of the brightest talents in the sport, remains in the white young rider’s jersey.

Rolden finished the stage just ahead of pursuer Riejanne Markus of Lidl-Trek and a small group, including Ferguson, after the peloton split on the final circuit, which included the gruelling category one climbs on Saltburn bank.

Olympic road race champion Faulkner, of EF Education-Oatly, leads Markus by four seconds overall.

After just one kilometre of a frantic official start in sodden conditions at Hartlepool Docks, the green jersey wearer Kim le Court of AG Insurance-Soudal hit the tarmac with two other riders, and took several minutes to gingerly return to the peloton.

Thursday’s winner of stage one now sits 21st in the GC after finishing nearly three minutes down in Saltburn.

There were several sketchy moments as the weather started to improve as the race moved down the coast, including a busy day for the British continental CJ O’Shea team, who experienced a bike change, and separate front and rear punctures for their riders.

Stage two result

1. Mara Roldan (Can/Team Picnic-PostNL) 2hrs 57mins 38secs

2. Riejanne Markus (Ned/Lidl-Trek) +12secs

3. Ally Wollaston (Aus/FDJ-Suez) +18secs

4. Megan Jastrab (USA/Team Picnic-PostNL) Same time

5. Cat Ferguson (GB/Movistar Team)

6. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned/UAE-Team ADQ)

7. Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig (Den/Canyon Sram-Zondacrypto)

8. Sarah Van Dam (Can/Ceratizit)

9. Kristen Faulkner (USA/EF Education-Oatly)

10, Quinty Ton (Ned/Liv AlUla-Jayco) +22secs

General classification after stage two

1. Kristen Faulkner (USA/EF Education-Oatly) 4hrs 57mins 3secs

2. Riejanne Markus (Ned/Lidl-Trek) +4secs

3. Ally Wollaston (Aus/FDJ-Suez) +12secs

4. Cat Ferguson (GB/Movistar Team) +14secs

5. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned/UAE Team ADQ) +14secs

6. Megan Jastrab (USA/Team Picnic-PostNL) +16secs

7. Sarah Van Dam (Can/Ceratizit) Same time

8. Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig (Den/Canyon Sram-Zondacrypto)

9. Quinty Ton (Ned/Liv AlUla-Jayco) +20secs

10. Anna Henderson (GB/Lidl-Trek) Same time