Belbium's Jolien D'Hoore won the opening stage of the UCI Women's World Tour Emakumeen Euskal Bira race ©Getty Images

Belgium’s Jolien d’Hoore won the opening stage of the Emakumeen Euskal Bira race as the International Cycling Union (UCI) Women's World Tour resumed today in Spain’s Basque region.

The four-stage event, due to run through to Saturday (May 25), will see riders undertake a 465 kilometres route from Iurreta to Oñati.

And d’Hoore got her Boels-Dolmans team off to the ideal start as she sprinted home to take the opening 110km stage starting and finishing at Iurreta in 2 hours 33min 20sec.

Italy’s Sofia Bertizzolo was second, riding for Team Virtu Cycling, and third place went to Australia’s Gracie Elvin of Mitchelton-Scott, with both being given the same time as the winner.

D’Hoore will defend her general classification lead in tomorrow’s second stage, a 110.8km course from Aduna to Amasa.