Lucy Garner beaten by Kirsten Wild in women's Tour de Yorkshire

GB cyclist Lucy Garner was outsprinted by Kirsten Wild to just miss out on the crown of the inaugural edition of the Asda Women's Tour de Yorkshire.

The 135.5km race, from Otley to Doncaster, ended in a bunch finish after a three-rider attack led by world champion Lizzie Armitstead was caught inside the final 3km.

Wild (Hitec Products), of the Netherlands, then overcame Garner (Wiggle-High5) by a bike's length, with Floortje Mackaij (Liv-Plantur) crossing the line in third.

Sky Academy Sports Scholar Garner was one of five Britons who finished in the top 10, but Armitstead, riding for the Great Britain team, had to settle for 26th place.

It was Garner's best finish so far in a very busy and crucial 2016 in the build-up to the Olympics and her first time on the podium for her new team.

The 21-year-old from Leicester, a former team-mate of Wild at Argos-Shimano, capped off an impressive tour by being named the Best British rider and win the Young Rider award.

"It's a lot better than I expected actually because I'm not 100 per cent healthy," admitted Garner.

"So I said to the girls: 'I really don't feel good today; you're just going to have to be patient with me, and see how it goes at the end.'

"Everything came back really well. The girls were so strong in the final, just working to get the breakaway back. Then you have to deliver at the end, after they did such a good job. I was really, really happy with that."

Armitstead had escaped from the peloton alongside Leah Kirchmann (Liv-Plantur) with about 35km to go and they subsequently joined up with Doris Schweizer (Cyclance), who had mounted a lone breakaway earlier in the race.

The trio built up a lead of a minute, but the sprint teams in the peloton chased them down to set up the bunch finish.

Regarding the dramatic finale, Garner added: "I followed Kirsten because I know she's going to be there in the final, and that was pretty much it. 

"It was just waiting, waiting, waiting, and then going for it. I wasn't quick enough to beat Kirsten, but I'm really happy with second."

RESULT:

1 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Hitec Products, 3:22:26

2 Lucy Garner (GB) Wiggle-High5, same time

3 Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Liv-Plantur, st

4 Alice Barnes (GB) Great Britain, st

5 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale Cipollini, st

WHAT'S COMING UP FOR OUR SCHOLARS

MARCH 19 - MAY 2: Holly Bradshaw, training in USA

19 - 27 MAY: Savannah Marshall, World Championships in Kazakhstan

22 - 30 MAY: Sam Oldham, Europan Gymnastics Championships in Switzerland