CWG 2014: Lizzie Armitstead gets more gold for England

Glasgow: Lizzie Armitstead struck further gold for England in the women`s cycling road race as the final day of Glasgow`s Commonwealth Games got underway on Sunday.

Armitstead went one better than four years ago in New Dehli as she finished the 98km course well clear in a time of two hours 38 minutes and 43 seconds. Fellow English rider Emma Pooley finished 25 seconds behind to finish second and add to the silver she won in the time trial. A photo finish saw South Africa`s Ashleigh Pasio claim bronze just ahead of Australia`s Tiffany Cromwell There was disappointment though early on for Scotland, hoping for a 20th gold medal, when Kirsty Gilmour lost 21-14, 21-7 to Canada`s Michelle Li in the badminton women`s singles final. England started the day already assured of top spot in the Games medal table for the first time since 1986, dethroning Australia. Armitstead`s victory increased England`s lead to 165 in total with with 57 gold while Australia have 132 in total of which 45 are gold and with just 9 titles remaining to be decided on the final day after the badminton final. Games officials, meanwhile, turned out to sing the praises of the Glasgow games with Mike Hooper, CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation calling them "the stand-out Games in the history of the movement." "The spirit of these Games has continued to endure," he added. In men`s road cycling David Millar of Scotland was looking to sign off his career with gold in the streets of central Glasgow where his career began. But there was stern competition in prospect from the likes of Peter Kennaugh of the Isle of Man, who won silver in the men`s 40km points race on the track, and Welsh rider Geraint Thomas, who took bronze in the individual time trial. Millar, who won road race bronze at Delhi, finished eighth in the individual time trial on Thursday. In the men`s hockey final, India will face Australia in a repeat of the final from four years ago when the Aussies romped home 8-0. World champions Australia are the four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallists and have lost only one game in the history of the tournament -- 3-2 to South Africa in the pool stages at Kuala Lumpur 1998.  India will be boosted by the return of captain Sardar Singh who was suspended for the semi-final win against New Zealand. New Zealand and Australia will contest a fifth consecutive netball final. Australia won the first two and New Zealand the last two.  New Zealand won their semi-final against England, 35-34 for the narrowest ever winning margin in a last-four clash. In squash, Australia`s David Palmer and Cameron Pilley take on defending champions Nick Matthew and Adrian Grant of England in the final of the men`s doubles. Palmer is also in the mixed doubles final alongside Rachael Grinham where the Australian pair face England`s Peter Barker and Alison Waters. Following Li`s gold medal win in the women`s singles, there were four more badminton golds on offer with Derek Wong of Singapore tackling second-seeded Kashyap Parupalli of India for the men`s title.