OTLEY’S Lizzie Armitstead was taken to hospital following a nasty crash seconds after she won the first stage of the Aviva Women’s Tour in Aldeburgh, today.

The current women’s World Cup leader raised her arms in triumph as she crossed the line, before putting her hands back on her bike.

The 26-year-old then appeared to veer left before colliding with a group of photographers and race director Mick Bennett. Other riders then crashed at the scene.

The Boels Dolmans rider was treated by paramedics at the finish and was conscious.

She was taken by ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital but was later discharged.

She was said to be bruised and battered and a decision on whether she could continue in the five-stage race was going to be made before tomorrow’s second leg.

A statement from the race organisers said: “Lizzie was immediately attended to by race medical staff at the finish line, who dealt with the incident before she was taken to hospital.

“Everyone from the Aviva Women’s Tour wishes Lizzie all the best for a speedy recovery, and we will make no further comment at this stage.”

Her Boels Dolmans team were in sullen mood as they collected the winner’s yellow jersey on Armitstead’s behalf.

Later they tweeted: Great victory by @L_ArmiTstead in @thewomenstour We all hope she is ok, because she crashed only seconds after she passed the finishline.

Armitstead had produced a fine finishing burst to win a bunch sprint after a break originally containing Britain’s Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker was caught around 100 metres before the end of the 112.6-kilometre opening stage from Bury St Edmunds.

Armitstead is favourite to win the Aviva Women’s Tour, but with a demanding schedule of big races ahead, her team will be considering her future in the event carefully.

The 2012 Olympic silver medallist and 2014 Commonwealth Games champion is due to bid for a third  National Road Race Championships at Lincoln on June 28.

She is then lined up to compete in the ten-day Giro Rosa starting in Slovenia on July 4, and La Course the one-day race on the final day of the Tour de France in Paris, on July 26.

Armitstead, who won the World Cup in 2014, has just returned from America where she produced a stunning performance to win the Philly Classic to go back to the top of this year’s standings.

Her main goal is the World Road Race Championships in Virginia, USA, in late September.