Amalie Dideriksen sprinted to victory on Stage Four of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in Worcester as Great Britain’s Dani Rowe overcame a crash to remain third overall.

Dideriksen (Boels Dolmans) sprinted to a clear victory ahead of Lotta Lepsstö (Cervélo-Bigla) and Marianne Vos (WaowDeals Pro Cycling) in a fast finale after a breakaway group had been pulled in.

A trio of riders, including Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig – who at one point was the virtual OVO Energy Green Jersey – were eventually caught on the outskirts of Worcester with seven kilometres remaining.

Vos’ third place, and the ensuing time bonus, edged the Dutchwoman a second closer to overall leader Coryn Rivera (Team Sunweb), who retains the OVO Energy Green Jersey for a third day going into the race’s Welsh finale on Sunday.

Rivera sits 14 seconds ahead of Vos, with her WaowDeals team-mate and Adnams Best British Rider Dani Rowe third overall at 22 seconds, despite being among a small group of riders caught up in a crash inside the final three kilometres.

"We knew everyone was going to be a little tired coming into the sprint but with about 30kms to go we decided that it’d be me we’d ride for," explained the delighted Dideriksen, who won the World title in Qatar in 2016.

"The girls did an amazing lead-out and, you have to be patient in the end but still go before everyone else comes from behind.

"You always want to prove that you are there as a rider but, we have a strong team here at this race and we all believe in each other and, although we haven’t won until today I think we’ve raced some good stages.”

Thanks to her consistent finishing Vos takes over the Breast Cancer Care Points Jersey with a four-point lead over Rivera, with the latter also continuing to lead the Eisberg Sprints Jersey.

"There was a really good stretch of cross tailwind and the girls did a great job and strung the field out with Boels Dolmans," said Rivera.

"It made the race hard and it was all about controlling the break from that point on.

"Tomorrow is going to be a hard day. As long as we stay together, there is a long way to the finish line after that last climb. Team work will be the most important thing tomorrow."

Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle HIGH5) holds a 15-point lead in the SKODA Queen of the Mountains category, and needs just a solitary point from the final stage to claim the climber’s jersey.

Sunday sees the OVO Energy Women’s Tour conclude in north Wales as Stage Five covers 122 kilometres / 76 miles from Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay via Snowdonia.