Megan Armitage fights hard after crash at World champs | Sticky Bottle

*Megan Armitage during the elite women's race at the World Championships in Belgium today (Photo: Toby Watson)*

Megan Armitage had a baptism of fire in the elite road race at the Worlds today; riding as the sole Irish competitor and also crashing on what was an already very difficult race.

The Irish rider fought hard to stay in the reduced peloton on the Keizersberg with 90km to go; holding her place in the group after that climb despite riders ahead of her letting wheels go.

However, while she fought really well through that difficult section of the race, she crashed out of the peloton on the cobbled descent of the Bekestraat with about 100km covered.

Unfortunately, that incident ended her race and she was taken to hospital for checks, such was the seriousness of her crash. While she suffered no broken bones, or any other serious injuries, she sustained a wound to her face that required stitches.

The 25-year-old has only been racing seriously for a couple of seasons and made her debut for Ireland during the summer. She has made rapid progress this year, including taking her first win against the pros in Belgium.

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The 157.7km elite women's race today was the most exciting of the championships so far. It proved a war of attrition, with riders being constantly spat out the back as the strong nations worked on the front and later fired riders up the road.

In the finale, Poland's Katarzyna Niewiadoma looked like the strongest rider in the race; attacking repeatedly on the climbs and getting clear in small groups only to be brought back.

*Elisa Balsamo of Italy put in a much stronger sprint that Marianne Vos to take her first elite world title and deny the Dutch rider her fourth elite gold on the road (Photo: Sean Rowe)*

The Dutch also lit it up with attacks but overplayed their hand; at times attacking, but mostly riding for a group sprint.

However, while it came down to a gallop for the medals from what remained of the peloton, Marianne Vos of the Netherlands was beaten to gold by Elisa Balsamo, the 23-year-old who won the junior world title five years ago.

Balsamo and Vos pulled ahead of the rest of the group in the gallop, such was the strength of the Italian lead-out in the final kilometre. Behind the gold and silver medal winner, Niewiadoma took the bronze.