Wiggle Honda's Laura Trott chased down and outsprinted Lizzie Armitstead to take the title of 2014 British women's road champion in Abergavenny, Wales.
With five kilometres to go of the 101km race, it looked like Armitstead would defend her title as she rode with a ten-second lead established on the first of four laps of the eight-kilometre finishing circuit.
However, a concerted chase in the closing stages meant 22-year-old Trott and teammate Dani King regained contact with the defending champion and would have a chance to sprint for the win.
Double Olympic champion Trott, guided expertly by King, proved strongest to deny Armitstead who had tried throughout the race to avoid a sprint - first attacking to form the 13-strong lead group and again, in the closing stages, trying win solo.
The strength of the Wiggle Honda squad proved too much for Armitstead however and Trott's approach was vindicated when she took victory.
"It’s such an amazing feeling, it’s up there with winning a world championships for me," Trott said.
"I was really disappointed (after Thursday's time-trial), I felt I had a lot more form than what the time suggested and I know the course didn’t suit me with the hill at the finish but I don’t understand why my time wasn’t good enough.
"So to come here today, I was so, so up for it. I woke up this morning and I was like ‘don’t even speak to me’. It was really early, I was so in the zone, I just wanted to get out and get it done."
Armitstead, who at one point had a 17-second lead on the finishing circuit before being caught on the final lap, said: "I'm disappointed. I had my normal issue of wanting to take the race on, so on every incline I gave it a go.
"I didn't want to take it to a sprint; for me, that was more of a risk than going solo. It was just a shame that Emma Pooley chased me down on the penultimate lap, that was a bit annoying, but what can you do?"
The final eight – Trott, King, Armitstead, Emma Pooley, Elinor Barker, Sarah Storey, Katie Archibald and Sharon Laws – was eventually selected after the bunch was whittled down on the climbs.
The ascent out of Monmouth at the 40km mark caused major splits which ultimately decided the final eight. Armitstead timed her attack with over two laps remaining and built a lead of 17 seconds.
But she was unable to hold on and Trott capitalised at the death to add a British road title to her already impressive palmares.
Result
1. Laura Trott
2. Dani King
3. Lizzie Armitstead
