Former world champion Lizzie Deignan has announced her retirement from cycling and revealed she is pregnant with her third child
Updated 24/07/2025 at 14:43 GMT+1
Cycling's first-ever female 'triple crown' winner is leaving the sport after announcing her pregnancy. Former world champion Lizzie Deignan says she is content with her decision as she has 'no ego or necessity to retire at the top'. As well as world championships, Deignan was also victorious at Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
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Former world champion Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek) has announced her retirement from cycling after confirming she is pregnant with her third child.
She walks away from the sport with 43 professional wins and an Olympic silver medal that she won for Team GB at London 2012.
Deignan also took gold at the 2015 UCI Road World Championships and topped the podium at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The hugely decorated cyclist became the first rider to win a ‘triple crown’ of the women’s Monument classics by winning the first-ever Paris-Roubaix Femmes, which added to her victories at the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Deignan took to social media to share the news, writing: "A new chapter in the Deignan story", accompanied by a picture of a baby grow.
Deignan’s third child will follow the birth of her daughter Orla in 2018 and her son Shea in 2022.
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Lizzie Deignan
Image credit: Getty Images
"I have this life outside of cycling that gives me so much fulfilment and so much love," Deignan said.
"Often people say, 'Retire at the top.' But I have no ego or necessity to retire at the top. I'm really happy to go full circle and to have ended my career as somebody who helps other people win bike races again."
Deignan had hinted that she would be stopping at the end of the season, but has brought the decision forward due to her pregnancy.
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Deignan’s team, LidlTrek, have paid tribute to her following the announcement.
"She’s not a regular mum, she’s a cool mum," they wrote on social media.
"Lizzie is much more than her incredible palmarès & we want to say a HUGE thank you to her for everything she has done for our team and for women’s cycling more broadly."
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