Lizzie Deignan out of Strade Bianche with a cold

Lizzie Deignan will miss the opening round of the Women's WorldTour at Strade Bianche in Siena, Italy, on Saturday because she is suffering from a cold. According to her team, Trek-Segafredo, Deignan has been replaced by cyclo-cross world champion Lucinda Brand.

"Lizzie has a cold so not in tip top shape to race," the team's press officer told Cyclingnews on the eve of Strade Bianche.

Deignan won the overall title of the Women's WorldTour last season and was a key contender for this year's opening round at Strade Bianche, a race she won in 2016. 

She started Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last weekend but didn't make the decisive move and finished last place at more than seven minutes behind winner Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx).

Deignan will be replaced by her teammate Brand, who recently completed a stellar cyclo-cross season winning the world title, World-Cup, Superprestige and X²O Badkamers Trophy series.

Trek-Segafredo line up with another former winner in Italian champion Elisa Longo Borghini, who is also a key contender for the win again this year.

It's an Italian race and Longo Borghini will be targeting her home event and looking to make a winning move on home soil. She won the 2017 edition, but she was also on the podium in 2015 and 2018.

The team will also include Ellen van Dijk, Chloe Hosking, Audrey Cordon-Ragot and Tayler Wiles at Strade Bianche.

Deignan will target the cobbled classics including Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix before turning her attention to the Olympic Games and the World Championships later in the season.

Join Cyclingnews for live coverage of 2021 Strade Bianche women's race starting at 9:10 am CET and check in after the race for our full report, results, gallery, news and features. For more information on how to watch live coverage of the race, visit - How to watch Strade Bianche 2021 – live TV and streaming.