Women's Tour: Lizzie Armitstead wins stage three

Lizzie Armitstead rides for the Boels–Dolmans team

Britain's Lizzie Armitstead won stage three of the Women's Tour - from Ashbourne to Chesterfield - and claimed the leader's yellow jersey.

The reigning world champion sprinted clear of a four-rider breakaway group to finish narrowly ahead of main rivals South African Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio and Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini.

Armitstead holds a five-second general classification lead over Moolman-Pasio.

Saturday's stage is a 119km ride from Nottingham to Stoke-on-Trent.

"My team-mate was in the breakaway early on and my tactic was to get across to her," said Armitstead, who gained 36 seconds on previous leader Marianne Vos, who now lies in fifth place.

"I attacked with two other girls - the strongest in the race - and it was an elimination process towards the finish," she added. "I attacked the cobbles first and got over the line."

The Tour finishes in Kettering on Sunday.

Lizzie Armitstead after donning the yellow jersey on the podium in Chesterfield

Women's Tour 2016 - stage three result

1. Elizabeth Armitstead (GBR/Boels-Dolmans) 2hrs 54mins 27secs

2. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (SA/Cervelo Bigla) same time

3. Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA/Wiggle High5) same time

4. Amanda Spratt (AUS/Orica) +03s

5. Marianne Vos (NED/Raboliv) +36s

6. Amalie Dideriksen (DEN/Boels-Dolmans) same time

7. Leah Kirchmann (CAN/Liv-Plantur) same time

8. Giorgia Bronzini (ITA/Wiggle High5) same time

9. Lisa Brennauer(GER/Canyon Sram) same time

10. Amy Pieters (NED/Wiggle High5) same time

General Classification

1. Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans) 9hrs 55min 59secs

2. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervelo Bigla) +05s

3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle HIGH5) +07s

4. Amanda Spratt (Orica AIS) +14s

5. Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv) +27s