Otley’s Lizzie Armitstead has finished second in the 139.6km Tour of Flanders behind Boels-Dolmann team-mate Ellen van Dijk.

Armitstead sprinted to claim the runners-up berth in front of Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS), thereby keeping her overall lead in the UCI Women’s Road World Cup.

It was Armitstead’s third successive podium after winning at the Boels Rental Ronde van Drenthe and coming second in the Trofeo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio.

She said: “Ellen worked hard for me in the previous races. That’s the beauty of this sport – we are a team. I was really emotional when she won.”

Armitstead has 320 points going into Fleche Wallonne on April 23.