World road race champion Lotte Kopecky took victory in a photo finish on the opening stage of the Women’s Tour of Britain.

The Belgian, 28, crossed the line on Llandudno’s promenande with Italy’s Letizia Paternoster after a fiercely contested sprint at the end of the 142.5km route.

Liv AlUla Jayco’s Paternoster thought she had done enough for the win but Kopecky edged it.

Great Britain’s Pfeiffer Georgi, riding for Team dsm-firmenich PostNL, finished third.

“One we crossed the finish [line], Letizia raised her hand and I was like ‘I’m not sure I won but I’m also not sure that you’ve won’. Ot took quite a while before we found out I won,” said SD Worx-Protime rider Kopecky, a seven-time world champion.

Lizzie Deignan and Anna Henderson, both competing for the Great Britain national team, finished fourth and sixth respectively.