In a red letter day for Irish cycling, Megan Armitage has become the first ever Irish woman to win a UCI-ranked stage race, also claiming the final stage at Vuelta Extremadura Féminas (2.2) today to wrap up the overall.
Having looked like one of the strongest riders in the medium climbing stage yesterday, when she broke free on the main climb only to be caught by a chasing group, the harder climbing today really proved the level the Irish woman, riding for Arkéa Pro Cycling Team, has now reached.
The remains of the main field split to pieces on the climb to the finish in Piornal. And after 90km of racing it was Armitage and her Canadian team mate Cala Emond who rode everyone off their wheels as the yellow jersey, and yesterday's stage winner, cracked.
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At the finish, Armitage took the stage ahead of Emond in a two-up sprint between the team mates. That was enough to move the Irish cyclist from 6th overall this morning - six seconds behind yellow jersey Maëva Squiban (Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime) - to the top of the general classification for overall victory.
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Indeed, that final sprint today between team mates Armitage and Emond decided the general classification; making for a 'winner takes all' moment, with the Irish rider prevailing.
