Lizzie Armitstead wraps-up overall win at the Aviva Women's Tour
Lizzie Armitstead finished safely with the bunch on the final stage, which was enough to seal the overall win at the Aviva Women's Tour - Photos by Andy Jones
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) secured overall victory at the Aviva Women’s Tour in Kettering after stage four, crossing the line just a few seconds behind stage winner Lotta Lepistö (Cervelo-Bigla).
World champion Armitstead began the day with an eight second lead over Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervelo-Bigla) and ten seconds on Elisa Longo-Borghini (Wiggle-High5).
Despite losing half her team overnight to sickness and injury it was, however, Marianne Vos (Rabo-Liv), at 15 seconds, who was the main threat. With a total of 16 bonus seconds available and a potent sprint which had brought previous success this week, Vos could have threatened Armitstead's yellow jersey at the last time of asking.
“We were totally focussed on the first sprint,” Boels-Dolmans team manager Danny Stam told Cycling Weekly at the finish.
“I said that was the bunch sprint and that’s where we finished the race, after that we could let the group out and keep them on one minute. In the end some other teams took it over and I played a little bit with the time gap, but with the group out the [bonus] seconds were gone and it was easier.'
Stage winner and Finnish champion Lepistö had been part of a seven woman group which had formed after that sprint point who were able to build a lead of over four minutes. Such a large gap placed Briton Molly Weaver (Liv-Plantur) in the virtual lead as she had begun the day only 1-41 down on Armitstead.
After 65km of the 113km stage between Northampton and Kettering, Boels-Domans instigated a chase, bringing the gap to one minute with 10km to ride. Armitstead’s team then maintained that gap, allowing the group to fight for stage honours.
In the final few kilometres other teams helped with the chase, bringing the gap down and, despite a crash in the final kilometre the top 62 riders were given the same time.
Armitstead becomes the first British winner of the event in its three year history after Vos won the opening race and German Lisa Brennauer (Canyon-SRAM) took the honours last year.
As defending British national champion, Armitstead will attempt to keep her crown in Stockton next week, before representing her Boels-Dolmans team at next month’s 10-stage Giro d’Italia Femminile.
Aviva Women’s Tour stage five, Northampton to Kettering (113km)
1. Lotta Lepistö (Fin) Cervelo-Bigla 3-07-00
2. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Alé Cipollini, st
3. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon-SRAM, st
4. Lauren Kitchen (USA) Hitec Products, st
5. Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Lubljana, st
6. Molly Weaver (GBr) Liv-Plantur, st
7. Janneke Ensing (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg, st
8. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Liv-Plantur, st
9. Jolien D’hoore (Bel) Wiggle High5, st
10. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabo-Liv, st
Final overall standings after stage four
1. Lizzie Armitstead (GBr) Boels-Dolmans, 16-00-39
2. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (SA) Cervelo-Bigla, at 11s
3. Elisa Longo-Borghini (Ita) Wiggle-High5, at 13
4. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabo-Liv, at 18s
5. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica-AIS, at 20s
6. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Liv-Plantur, at 40s
7. Amy Pieters (Ned) Wiggle-High5, at 43s
8. Emma Johansson (Swe) Wiggle-High5 at 49s
9. Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica-AIS, at 53s
10. Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Liv-Plantur, at 53s
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Owen Rogers is an experienced journalist, covering professional cycling and specialising in women's road racing. He has followed races such as the Women's Tour and Giro d'Italia Donne, live-tweeting from Women's WorldTour events as well as providing race reports, interviews, analysis and news stories. He has also worked for race teams, to provide post race reports and communications.
-
-
MADE Bike Show sells out registration in record time
A new handmade bike show is coming to Portland, Oregon this fall with 145 builders and brands registered to show off their craft
By Clara Beard • Published
-
Skip the gatorade, nonalcoholic beer may be as good as, or even better than, sports drinks
Dry January may be over but you may want to keep stocking those nonalcoholic beers — for fitness sake.
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Tour of Britain set for Welsh climax in 2023
Race organisers announce partnership for the national tour and Women’s Tour to visit the Principality until 2026
By Owen Rogers • Last updated
-
Despite giving up sprinting for signs third place earns Longo Borghini Women’s Tour victory
The Italian champion finished third in the bunch sprint in Oxford earning enough bonus seconds to take the overall
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
'It’s not the way we want to end it' says Lorena Wiebes after her third Women’s Tour stage victory
Despite the victory equalling the Women’s Tour records of Marianne Vos and Join D’hoore th team worked for Charlotte Kool on the final stage into Oxford
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Elisa Longo Borghini wins the Women’s Tour by slender bonus seconds margin
Bonus seconds taken in the final bunch kick took the Italian to a one second overall win
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
£50K of bikes and kit stolen from Trek-Segafredo in second theft in two weeks
American team lose two bikes and other equipment stolen from their team truck parked at a Swansea hotel
By Owen Rogers • Last updated
-
Grace Brown hangs onto to the Women’s Tour overall by the thinnest margin
With the top two on equal time going into the final stage the race is set for a fascinating tactical battle
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Elisa Longo Borghini climbs to victory on stage five of The Women's Tour
Trek-Segafredo rider triumphs on Black Mountain but Grace Brown remains in race lead
By Owen Rogers • Last updated
-
Inside the DSM sprint train which makes Lorena Wiebes the world’s best sprinter
Dutch neo-pro Charlotte Kool happy to lead Lorena Wiebes to victory after blaming herself for the stage one crash
By Owen Rogers • Published