Loser of a classic race (8)

I believe the answer is:

atalanta

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But I can't explain it at all! Could you help me understand?

(Other definitions for atalanta that I've seen before include "hunter" , "Swinburne wrote - in Calydon" , "Greek huntress defeated in a running race" , "Mythological fast-running girl" , "girl who stopped to pick apples" .)

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