Tromode’s Lizzie Holden produced the ride of her career to date to finish a superb runner-up on stage three of the Setmana Cicliste Valenciana stage race today (Saturday).

Up against some of the best female cyclists in the world, and in her first stage race for Spanish professional team Bizkaia Durango, she broke away in the closing stages of the 94km Valencia to Port de Sagunt stage.

The 22-year-old was narrowly beaten to the line by Mexico’s Lizbeth Yareli Salazar of the Astana team.

They were 2min 52sec clear of the bunch, led over the line by Salazar’s team-mate Arlenis Sierra of Cuba.

Holden was one of only two British women in the top-20, along with Elizabeth Banks of Bigla-Katusha in ninth spot.

There were 121 finishers.

Tomorrow’s final stage covers a 140km horseshoe loop inland from Betxi to Vila Real.

The Manx woman completed the opening 103km stage from Gandia to Cullerain in 74th place and was 39th on stage two on Friday, a 126km test from Agost to Finestrat.