LIZZIE Deignan's Boels-Dolmans squad won the women's team time-trial on yesterday's opening day of the UCI Road World Championships in Doha.

Deignan, nee Armitstead, combined with Evelyn Stevens, Chantal Blaak, Ellen van Dijk, Karol-Ann Canuel and Christine Majerus to win the 40-kilometres event for trade teams.

The Dutch Boels-Dolmans team won in 48 minutes 41.62 seconds, 48.24secs ahead of a Canyon-Sram squad which contained Briton Hannah Barnes.

Another Briton, Ciara Horne, claimed bronze with Cervelo Bigla.

Competitors at the Road World Championships switch from representing their trade teams to their national teams from today.

Deignan won the 2015 road race world title and will seek to defend it on Saturday's penultimate day of competition.

The men's event was won by Belgian squad Etixx-QuickStep in 42:32.39. BMC Racing were 11.69secs behind in second place.

Britain's Team Sky – including Britons Geraint Thomas and Ben Swift and Ireland's Nicolas Roche - were fourth, 54:28 behind.