'That was really not the plan,' says Lizzie Deignan after stunning Paris-Roubaix victory

Lizzie Deignan says that her outstanding Paris-Roubaix victory was not the plan at the start of the day, which the Brit proceeded to lead for the majority of the race, over every cobbled section, and cross the finish line Roubaix velodrome alone, the first women to ever do so.

Instead, the Trek-Segafredo rider says she was merely trying to ride on the front heading into the first cobbled section in order to protect her two team leaders but turned around saw she had a gap, so just ploughed on.

"That was really not the plan," Deignan said after the finish. "I needed to be at the front of the first cobbled section to protect my leaders, I was the third leader.

"I looked behind after the first cobbles and there was a gap so I thought at least if I'm in the front they have to chase me and so I kept going."

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Deignan did keep going, stretching her advantage out to more than two and a half minutes, and never letting Marianne Vos within a minute of her after the Dutchwoman countered in the closing kilometres.

After gritting her teeth to keep the pace high after dealing with the final cobbled sectors, Deignan only allowed herself a smile as she took the bell for the final lap inside the velodrome, pumping her fist twice in celebration as she came around the final bend to make cycling history.

"I just feel so incredibly proud," Deignan said. "Women’s cycling is at this turning point and today is part of history. We’re so grateful to everyone behind the scenes, and every fan watching this is also making history, it’s proving there’s the appetite for women’s cycling and the athletes can do this toughest race and I'm proud I can say I'm the first-ever winner.

"I’m so proud that this is where we are, that women’s cycling is on the world stage.”