Women's Tour: Lizzie Armitstead wins race for first time

Lizzie Armitstead won the Women's Tour for the first time after safely negotiating Sunday's fifth and final stage from Northampton to Kettering.

The 27-year-old Briton, riding for the Boels Dolmans team, finished in the pack to preserve her 11-second lead on South Africa's Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio.

Italian Elisa Longo Borghini was third overall, a further two seconds behind.

"I feel very lucky because I am part of a country that loves cycling at the moment," Armitstead said.

"I hope that bubble continues. Event like this certainly help.

"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'm relieved and happy that I did it for them."

Danielle King was the next highest-placed Briton in 11th, with Nikki Harris 14th and Molly Weaver 17th.

American Katie Hall won the Queen of the Mountains competition for best climber, 2014 champion Marianne Vos won the points jersey, while 20-year-old Dutchwoman Floortje Mackaij was the best young rider.

Finland's Lotta Lepisto won the final stage in a sprint finish, edging out Italians Marta Bastianelli and Elena Cecchini.

Women's Tour 2016 - stage five result

1. Lotta Lepisto (Fin/Cervelo Bigla) 2hrs 57mins 31secs

2. Marta Bastianelli (Ita/Ale Cipollini) "

3. Elena Cecchini (Ita/Canyon Sram) "

4. Lauren Kitchen (Aus/Hitec) "

5. Eugenia Bujak (Pol/Btc City Ljubljana) "

General Classification

1. Lizzie Armitstead (GBR/Boels Dolmans) 16hrs 0min 39secs

2. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (SA/Cervelo Bigla) +11secs

3. Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA/Wiggle High5) +13secs

4. Marianne Vos (NED/Raboliv) +18secs

5. Amanda Spratt (AUS/Orica AIS) +20secs