Lizzie Deignan, who won La Course by Le Tour de France with teammate Elisa Longo Borghini in Nice last year, was unable to duplicate her 2020 result today in the Côte de la Fosse au Rue. Trek-Segafredo's Lizzie Deignan closed in on the lead group of contenders for the win on the final climb, but was unable to follow the final attack and finished in ninth place. Demi Vollering (Team SD Walks) won the race with a sprint finish from a small group.

"Honestly, today was the worst day from start to finish. I felt terrible. I was in pain, and I wasn't in pain when I needed to be. I couldn't finish like the girls in front of me."

Dignan has suffered from repeated health problems early in the season, but is getting back on track before the Olympics, where she will compete with SD Worx rider Anna Shackley.

Despite a slow start to the season, she has been strong in recent races, winning the Internationale LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour in May with teammate Lucinda Brand and placing 9th overall herself. Earlier this month, she took the overall win at the first Tour de Suisse Women, winning a bonus second in the intermediate sprint to beat Elise Chaby.

Speaking about the eighth and possibly final edition of La Course, Dignan said it was "tough." Along with her Trek-Segafredo teammates, she was in the lead as the battle of attrition unfolded on the road from Brest to Landerneau.

Deignan's teammate Lucinda Brand, along with Taylor Wiles and Audrey Cordon-Lago, sealed the attack early on and, after monitoring the front, was in one of the most durable breakaway groups in the race. When Brand's group pulled back, Ruth Winder was next for Trek-Segafredo. The gap to Winder's group had widened to over a minute. Unfortunately for the team, however, the British rider was unable to gain an advantage on the day.

"I'm in good shape, but we had a bad day," said Winder. I'm disappointed, but I think we rode very well as a team. The team did a great job supporting me.

Deignan's next race is the 10-day Giro d'Italia Donne, starting July 2, where he will reunite with teammate Elisa Longo Borghini, who finished third overall last year.