Cycling: Golden moment for Armitstead

Lizzie Armitstead claimed her first British National Championships road race title yesterday, sprinting to victory over 10-time champion Nicole Cooke in Northumberland.

Four riders went clear on the opening lap – Cooke (MCipollini-Giambenini) and the Garmin-Cervelo trio of Armitstead, Sharon Laws and Emma Pooley, the defending champion. The 64-mile race came down to a sprint finish in Stamfordham, with Armitstead first, Cooke second and Laws third.

Armitstead, a runner-up in 2009 and 2010, said: "Finally, thank God. I've been getting too many silvers. It's nice to have a result on the road, but it was anybody's race."