June 19, 2016 (Kettering, UK) – Lizzie Armitstead clinched overall victory in the 2016 Aviva Women’s Tour, finishing safely in the bunch in 14th position at the end of the 113-kilometre Northamptonshire stage as Finland’s Lotta Lepistö took the final stage win in Kettering from a group of seven riders.

In the end Armitstead’s winning margin was 11-seconds over Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, courtesy of three bonus seconds picked up at the day’s opening Chain Reaction Cycle sprint, with Wiggle HIGH5 rider Elisa Longo Borghini a further two seconds in arrears.

Armitstead also clinched the Adnams Best British Rider Jersey as the highest placed Brit, with a 53-second advantage over 2012 Olympic Gold medallist Dani King.

The victory will also move Armitstead up to second in the standings of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, behind her teammate Megan Guarnier.

“It means what a fantastic team performance it’s been” said Armitstead, “We had quite a lot of pressure on us today with the team performing so well all week I couldn’t let them down really so I’ve relieved and happy that I did it for them.

With the break of seven at one stage having in excess of four minutes, Armitstead admitted some nerves, but once again took the opportunity to praise her team.

“Probably from me, but not from the girls around me, they kept a cool head and Chantal [Blaak] said ‘We can close that if we want to’.

“It was still hard, although probably one of the easier days of the tour so far which meant we could control it and bring it to a sprint which is what we wanted.

“Being a British athlete I feel so lucky to be a part of a country that loves cycling at the moment and I hope that that bubble continues.  My teammates say ‘Lizzie, why is it so popular here?’ and I don’t really know the answer, but events like this certainly help keep the ball rolling.”

A day long breakaway of seven riders contested the finish, as the Boels Dolmans led bunch just misjudged their catch, coming into Kettering 15-seconds behind the group, which Lepistö led home.

The high-class group of seven, including Italian national champion Elena CecchinI and 2007 World Road Race Champion Marta Bastianelli, built a lead in excess of 4-minutes, but it was driven down by a combination of Boels Dolmans at the front of the peloton and an eventual lack of cooperation in the front group.

Speaking afterwards, Lepistö, who is the current Finnish road race champion, said;

“Today was pretty hard so I went with the break today because my team mate was second in the overall we had to go in the move and finally that move went and we had a pretty big gap and it stayed in the final.

“I had all the time information in my ear from the manager and he said try to stay calm and sometimes I wasn’t allowed to work and just wait for Ashley but in the last 2k it was really close for the peloton to catch us, so then I was confident that I could win the sprint if the break stays

“We worked together this tour, we are really small team but I think we have the biggest hearts the whole week. We started with five and we lost one rider during the week and now the stage win and the second on GC, I think it’s pretty amazing.”

With Moolman-Pasio failing to score on the opening Strava Queen of the Mountains climb near Daventry, Katie Hall of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling secured the jersey.

“I love this race” said Hall speaking afterwards, “I think it is my favourite race of the year now. I’ve done all three editions of this race now so the first one was my first ever race in Europe and I just so was so overwhelmed I couldn’t manage to do anything in the bunch, and now I can get a jersey and so I’ve been reflecting on the growth I’ve had as a rider through these three editions.

“The first year I got nothing, last year I got it [Strava Queen of the Mountains jersey] for one day and this year I’ve kept it until the end so it’s good.”

Having won Stage Four on Saturday, Marianne Vos couldn’t reduce Armitstead’s lead any further and had to settle for the Chain Reaction Cycles Points Jersey after a remarkable run of consistent finishes, ending each stage in the top five, barring the final day’s tenth place.

Vos’ compatriot Floortje Mackaij saw her lead in the Best Young Rider Jersey presented by Stoke-on-Trent, European City of Sport reduced thanks to teammate Molly Weaver’s presence in the break, but not by enough for the white jersey to change shoulders.  The win in that classification also helps Mackaij in the season-long UCI Women’s WorldTour young rider classification, with her edging closer to current leader Katarzyna Niewiadoma.

Having twice won a stage combativity award, Ale Cipollini’s Emilia Fahlin won the overall combativity award, while Wiggle HIGH5 beat Boels Dolmans to the team classification title by the narrowest of margins.

Results

1. Lotta Lepistö (Fin) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 2:57:31
2. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale Cipollini
3. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon-SRAM
4. Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Hitec Products
5. Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana
6. Molly Weaver (Gbr) Team Liv-Plantur
7. Janneke Ensing (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team 0:11
8. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Liv-Plantur 0:15
9. Jolien D’hoore (Bel) Wiggle High5
10. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
11. Amy Pieters (Ned) Wiggle High5
12. Alice Barnes (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team
13. Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Cylance Pro Cycling
14. Elizabeth Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
15. Eva Buurman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
16. Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Ale Cipollini
17. Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur
18. Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale Cipollini
19. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
20. Mia Radotic (Cro) BTC City Ljubljana
21. Nikki Harris (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
22. Hannah Barnes (Gbr) Canyon-SRAM
23. Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
24. Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
25. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle High5
26. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica-AIS
27. Dani King (Gbr) Wiggle High5
28. Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
29. Jermaine Post (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
30. Linda Melanie Villumsen (NZl) UnitedHealthcare Women
31. Rossella Ratto (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
32. Kirsten Wild (Ned) Hitec Products
33. Malgorzta Jasinska (Pol) Ale Cipollini
34. Laura Massey (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team
35. Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
36. Rebecca Durrell (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team
37. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle High5
38. Emma Johansson (Swe) Wiggle High5
39. Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products
40. Ilona Hoeksma (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
41. Jennifer George (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team
42. Rozanne Slik (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur
43. Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Women
44. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM
45. Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
46. Jessie Walker (Gbr) GBR
47. Anouska Koster (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
48. Eugénie Duval (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
49. Anna Plichta (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana
50. Esra Tromp (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
51. Hannah Payton (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team
52. Manon Lloyd (Gbr) GBR
53. Carlee Taylor (Aus) Team Liv-Plantur
54. Emilie Moberg (Nor) Hitec Products
55. Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
56. Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
57. Jip Van Den Bos (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
58. Iris Slappendel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Women
59. Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon-SRAM
60. Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale Cipollini
61. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Hitec Products
62. Doris Schweizer (Sui) Cylance Pro Cycling
63. Emma Pooley (Gbr) GBR 0:53
64. Coralie Demay (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 0:58
65. Sophie Coleman (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team 1:06
66. Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Canyon-SRAM 1:10
67. Lisa Klein (Ger) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 1:30
68. Sara Mustonen (Swe) Team Liv-Plantur
69. Annasley Park (Gbr) GBR 1:51
70. Loren Rowney (Aus) Orica-AIS
71. Alexandra Manly (Aus) Orica-AIS
72. Tayler Wiles (USA) Orica-AIS 2:20
73. Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica-AIS
DNF Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Canyon-SRAM
DNF Alison Tetrick (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling
DNF Simona Frapporti (Ita) Hitec Products
DNS Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
DNS Roxane Fournier (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNS Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
DNS Shara Gillow (Aus) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team

Final GC

1. Elizabeth Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 16:00:39
2. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 0:11
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle High5 0:13
4. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 0:18
5. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica-AIS 0:20
6. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Liv-Plantur 0:40
7. Amy Pieters (Ned) Wiggle High5 0:43
8. Emma Johansson (Swe) Wiggle High5 0:49
9. Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica-AIS 0:50
10. Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur 0:53
11. Dani King (Gbr) Wiggle High5
12. Malgorzta Jasinska (Pol) Ale Cipollini
13. Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
14. Nikki Harris (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
15. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle High5 1:00
16. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM 1:13
17. Molly Weaver (Gbr) Team Liv-Plantur 1:28
18. Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 1:52
19. Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon-SRAM 2:00
20. Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 2:40
21. Linda Melanie Villumsen (NZl) UnitedHealthcare Women 3:41
22. Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Women 3:45
23. Jermaine Post (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team 3:52
24. Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana 4:20
25. Eva Buurman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team 4:35
26. Alice Barnes (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team 5:14
27. Hannah Barnes (Gbr) Canyon-SRAM 5:20
28. Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
29. Janneke Ensing (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team 5:23
30. Rossella Ratto (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
31. Laura Massey (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team
32. Anouska Koster (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
33. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Hitec Products 5:35
34. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon-SRAM 5:37
35. Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Cylance Pro Cycling 8:29
36. Eugénie Duval (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
37. Alexandra Manly (Aus) Orica-AIS
38. Anna Plichta (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana 8:31
39. Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 8:38
40. Rozanne Slik (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur 8:41
41. Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Hitec Products 0:11:18
42. Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products 0:13:00
43. Lotta Lepistö (Fin) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 0:14:05
44. Jolien D’hoore (Bel) Wiggle High5 0:14:54
45. Emma Pooley (Gbr) Great Britain 0:16:12
46. Tayler Wiles (USA) Orica-AIS 0:17:06
47. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale Cipollini 0:17:28
48. Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Ale Cipollini 0:17:48
49. Rebecca Durrell (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team 0:17:51
50. Hannah Payton (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team
51. Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling 0:20:26
52. Jennifer George (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team 0:20:31
53. Doris Schweizer (Sui) Cylance Pro Cycling 0:20:58
54. Ilona Hoeksma (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team 0:24:10
55. Mia Radotic (Cro) BTC City Ljubljana
56. Jessie Walker (Gbr) Great Britain
57. Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale Cipollini
58. Sara Mustonen (Swe) Team Liv-Plantur
59. Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
60. Carlee Taylor (Aus) Team Liv-Plantur
61. Iris Slappendel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Women
62. Esra Tromp (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
63. Jip Van Den Bos (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
64. Kirsten Wild (Ned) Hitec Products
65. Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Canyon-SRAM 0:25:05
66. Emilie Moberg (Nor) Hitec Products 0:25:37
67. Annasley Park (Gbr) Great Britain 0:25:46
68. Loren Rowney (Aus) Orica-AIS 0:26:00
69. Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale Cipollini 0:26:45
70. Lisa Klein (Ger) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 0:28:34
71. Coralie Demay (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 0:32:54
72. Sophie Coleman (Gbr) Drops Cycling Team 0:33:02
73. Manon Lloyd (Gbr) Great Britain 0:36:14