British rider Lizzie Armitstead is the new World Champion after winning the Elite Women's race at the World Championships in Richmond, Virginia.
A 129.6km course, made up of sixteen laps which included the cobbled climbs of Libby Hill and 23rd Street on each of the eight laps saw . Poland’s Monika Zur try to get away but she was brought back.
Russia’s Svetlana Vasilieva and Netherlands’ Chantal Blaak both had time on the front alone but with two laps to go, American Evelyn Stevens reeled her in.
There were numerous attacks. However, with four kilometres to go, a group of Rivera, Audrey Cordon (France), Lauren Kitchen and Rachel Neylan (Ausralia), Emilia Fahlin (Sweden), Valentina Scandolara (Italy), Amy Pieters (Netherlands), Romy Kasper (Germany) and Malgorzata Jasinska (Poland), took over, taking a minute lead.
Valentina Scandolara and Australian Lauren Kitchen broke clear but they were caught on the foot of Libby Hill and Britain's Lizzie Armitstead tried to get away but was unable to do so.
So, Armitstead bided her time and although she had no choice but to take the lead on the finishing straight, she had the experience and know how to make sure that she was not going to be caught and won in a time of 3.23.56 to become the first British rider to be World Champion since Laura Trott in 2008.
Armistead said about her win which saw Anna Van Der Breggen of the Netherlands second and American Megan Gaurnier in third place: “I just couldn’t believe it.
“I didn’t get to celebrate because I was going all the way for that line. I was on the front, I was leading it out, waiting for the rush to come but it never came. I had to be patient, with two laps to go I tested them on that steep cobbled climb, hoping that someone would come with me, but eventually it was down to Germany I think. I’m thankful that other teams put riders on the front.”