THE cyclist regarded as the world’s best female rider has shown fine form in the OVO Energy Women’s Tour ahead of its arrival in Powys.

Marianne Vos (CCC Liv) sprinted to victory in the second stage of Britain’s biggest women’s cycle race at the Gravesend Cyclopark in Kent, to take the overall lead of the race following day two.

The final two stages of the race are being held in Wales, with riders completing an 87-mile loop of Brecon and Radnorshire on Friday, June 14, before the race finishes in Carmarthenshire on Saturday.

Vos took the win ahead of Lizzie Deignan (Trek Segafredo) and Sarah Roy (Mitchelton Scott) at the end of the 25 lap race, run off in hot and sunny conditions, despite the initial weather forecast.

The win, her fifth stage win in the OVO Energy Women’s Tour, but first since the 2016 Tour, makes the Dutchwoman the most successful rider in the race history.

Speaking afterwards, Vos said, “I came from the back so I thought okay if I don’t go now I will be late so I will have to go and see if I can open up a gap and then I did but I felt okay now the legs are going to burn so I just kept going and I saw no wheels coming so that was of course a great feeling.”

The CCC Liv rider survived a mid-race puncture and bike change to move into a nine second lead in the race ahead of Lizzie Deignan, with Amy Pieters (Boels Dolmans) also on the same time. Having battled for numerous victories over the past decade, Vos believes that Deignan is one of the main threats to her overall lead.

“This is for her of course her home race and going to the next day’s she’s in great form, she’s always one to watch for GC, and the team is strong as well. They have a very strong team, we don’t fear anyone, but Trek is one of the teams that we are going to watch.”

Deignan takes over the HSBC UK British Cycling Best British Rider jersey as the leading home contender while defending champion Coryn Rivera (Team Sunweb) keeps the lead in the Eisberg Sprints jersey.

The race hits Oxfordshire today and passes through Wallingford, Didcot, Wantage and Charlbury, covering 145.1 kilometres / 90.2 miles with the finish in front of the world famous Blenheim Palace while Thursday’s stage four is in from Warwick to Burton Dassett Country Park.

The Powys stage starts at Llandrindod Lake at 10.30am on Friday and is set to finish at the Royal Welsh Showground just after 2.20pm.

The National Cycle Museum, near the Lake in Llandrindod, will be open from 9am to 4pm on Friday and will have a display of ladies’ cycles at the Lakeside.

ITV4 is showing highlights of the race at 8pm each night.