Megan Armitage in career best ride at Le Samyn des Dames | Sticky Bottle

*Megan Armitage on the attack deep into the finale of what was a very challenging day out in the crosswinds, and across the cobbles, of Belgium*

Megan Armitage has put in arguably the best ride of career in the Belgian semi classic Le Samyn des Dames (1.1), putting in an aggressive showing when the pressure was on.

The 26-year-old Arkéa Pro Cycling Team rider not only survived in the much reduced peloton on a day of intense racing across the cobbles and in the crosswinds of Belgium but went on the attack deep into the finale.

It was a performance suggesting there is lots more to come from Armitage and that her rapid rate of progress of recent years has continued unabated over the winter.

Far from having to mind herself very carefully to stay in the group in the 99.4km race, Armitage went on the attack just the latest sections of what remained of the main field were being spat out the back.

With 4.8km to go the Irish rider took advantage of a technical section through a small village, where the riders had to negotiate a series of right bends, to attack off the front. She kicked and opened a small gap, though her move was covered.

However, she persisted with her move and when the cameras panned back to the rear of the peloton the injection of pace inflicted by the Irishwoman on the front was clear to see, as the back markers struggled to hold the wheel.

After 50 metres pushed hard on the front Armitage brought a halt to her move, with a waiting duo of Team Jayco AlUla riders waiting in the wings and pouncing onto the front, marked closely by Uno-X Pro Cycling Team.

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Just a few hundred metres later the front of the reduced peloton hit the 500 metre long Rue de Belle Vue stretch of cobbles - with an especially rough road surface combined with a slight incline really putting the field under pressure.

Immediately that sector began, former world champion Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) squeezed on the pedals and immediately pulled clear.

She was joined by Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) and as they opened a small gap it was left to French champion Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Zaaf Cycling Team) to take up the chase in the hopes of containing the two leaders as they inched away.

That period of high pressure just inside 2.5km to go saw Ireland's Armitage slip to the back of the small bunch, though she was full of fight and held her place. When the two Italians up front began sharing the workload, it looked like he had 1st and 2nd sewn up; Confalonieri looking like she was happy to ride for the runner-up spot give the way she drove the move on.

Behind them, FDJ-SUEZ took up the chase, but the leading duo were gone. Bastianelli was happy to let her breakaway companion do almost all the work in the final 2km before easily beating her to win.

Just nine seconds later Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ-SUEZ) won the reduced bunch sprint for the final spot on the podium. Armitage came home in that group - in 21st place and 17 seconds behind the winner after the peloton split a little under the pressure of the final sprint.

By the finish, the peloton had been reduced to less that 40 riders, underlining the quality of Armitage's ride in a field of 161 and on a day when 78 riders were non finishers.