Britain’s Lizzie Deignan says she is “surprised” to be in contention after remaining second overall following stage two of the RideLondon Classique.
Deignan is one month into her return after giving birth to a second child.
The 34-year-old was due to support Elisa Balsamo but her Trek-Segafredo team-mate crashed in Friday’s stage.
“Racing here is very dynamic, you expect the unexpected,” said Deignan, after finishing second in Maldon in a sprint finish with USA’s Chloe Dygert.
“But it is still a surprise [to be second overall].”
Dygert, who is third overall, beat Deignan in a reduced uphill sprint to the line after a frantic end to stage two of the race, which ends in London on Sunday.
The American Canyon-SRAM rider stayed in the wheels of Deignan for the final 10km after her team-mate, Maike van der Duin of the Netherlands, had gone solo off the front.
Van der Duin was only caught inside the final few hundred metres after a crash, which left Friday’s stage winner and overall leader Charlotte Kool on the ground, disrupted the chase.
Dygert was led out by another team-mate, Italy’s Soraya Paladin, who finished third, to claim a first WorldTour win on the road.
Kool retained a five-second lead over Deignan as her crash came inside the final three kilometres so she did not lose any time.
Stage 2 result
1. Chloe Dygert (US/Canyon-Sram) 3hrs 26mins 33secs
2. Lizzie Diegnan (GB/Trek-Segafredo) Same time
3. Soraya Paladin (Ita/Canyon-Sram)
4. Anna Henderson (GB/Jumbo Visma)
5. Eleonora Gasparrini (Ita/UAE Team ADQ)
General classification after stage 2
1. Charlotte Kool (Ned/Team DSM) 7hrs 22mins 53secs
2. Lizzie Diegnan (GB/Trek-Segafredo) +5secs
3. Chloe Dygert (US/Canyon-Sram) +10secs
4. Maike van der Duin (Ned/Canyon-Sram) +13secs
5. Thalita de Jong (Ned/Liv Racing Teq) Same time
