Former Britain World Champion Lizzie Deignan has announced her retirement with immediate effect after confirming that she is pregnant with her third child.

The 36-year-old has been the Flag Carrier for Women’s Cycling in Britain since the search for a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics and has planned to see the season.

Her coronation moment came to the 2015 World Championship when she won the women’s women’s road race, outside the Dutch Anna van der coast for gold.

“A new chapter in Worthy story, “ The Lidl-Trek team knight posted on Instagram, along with a photo of a baby.

“I have this life out of the cycling that gives me so much fulfillment and so much love,” She said.

“Often people say, ‘retire on top’. But I have no ego or necessity to retire on top.

Deignan enjoyed 43 professional wins, including a stunning victory in the inauguration of Paris-Roubaix women in 2021. Other visible victories included Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Strade Bianche and Tour of Flanders.

She made a career break in 2018 after the birth of her daughter Orla, and again in 2022 after the birth of her son Shea.

Her latest victory came during a team trial at the opening phase of La Vuelta Femenina in Spain.

Deignan, who also won a world -track title in 2009 as part of the British team chase, has been a tough advocate for equality in women’s professional cycling, in long shade from men’s races.

“I feel like I have kept the torch for a long time now, and it is really interesting that there are now a group of women ready to take over,” She told cycling every week this year.