WORLD champion Lizzie Armitstead registered her fifth win of the year as she marked her return to action after a mid-season break with victory in the Boels Rental Hills Classic for the second-successive year.

The 27-year-old Otley star triumphed in a three-rider sprint at the end of a gruelling 131km race which attracted a strong field.

Among the riders she defeated was the Dutch star Marianne Vos who pipped her to Olympic gold at London in 2012.

“It’s nice to pay Boels back on what is an important day for them,” said Armitstead. I always like to do this race, and to do well at this race, to show my appreciation.

“It was a really strong team performance today that allowed me to come away with the win.

“Everyone was suffering. It was hot and uncomfortable out there, but my teammates did a really good job. It’s a team win.”

Armitstead added: “I was expecting to feel strong today but not race ready, which is exactly how I felt as the race unfolded,” said Armitstead.

“I was strong, but I didn’t have good sensations or good speed in my legs. I’m happy that I was able to win not having freshened up or done any specific training for this race.”

Team manager Danny Stam has likened the Boels Rental Hills Classic to an Amstel Gold Race for women. The one-day race covers 15 “Dutch mountains” and it proved to be full of attacks.

Armitstead always knew she would attack when the race reached Valkenburg’s infamous climb, the 11th of the day.

“Romy Kasper led me into the bottom of the climb,” explained Armitstead. “The race was high, and I attacked off her wheel. It created a group of five – me, Ellen van Dijk, Ashleigh Moolman (Cervélo-Bigla), Vos (Rabo-Liv) and Annemiek van Vleuten (ORICA-AIS).”

The group included three former Boels Rental Hills Classic winners in Armitstead, Van Vleuten and Vos.

Boels-Dolmans was the only team with two riders in what would prove to be the race winning move. With 20 kilometres still to race, the leaders had a 25-second advantage when they crested the first passage of the final climb.

“We were all working together except for Annemiek van Vleuten (ORICA-AIS),” noted Armitstead. “She was just sitting on. That was a bit a frustrating.”

Six kilometres from the finish, the leaders began to climb the Cauberg for the second time. Moolman jumped from the base of the climb and opened up a gap.

“I couldn’t follow her, and she got a bit of distance on me,” said Armitstead. “I didn’t want to blow myself up, so I took it at my own pace. I knew I would get up to her eventually.”

Armitstead and Van Vleuten rejoined Moolman over the top of the Cauberg. Five had become three with the finish line looming.

Armitstead found herself under attack up the Geuhlemmerweg. “Ashleigh and Annemiek both attacked me on the the final climb,” said Armitstead. “I followed wheels. I knew I could get back.”

And she did. The trio came over the top of the final climb together.

Armitstead unleashed her powerful sprint in the flat 250-metre run-in to the line to win.