Latest news with #VueltaEspanaFemenina
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Olympic medalist Lizzie Deignan announces retirement from cycling after surprise pregnancy reveal
Olympic medalist Lizzie Deignan announces retirement from cycling after after surprise pregnancy reveal (Image via Getty) British cyclist Lizzie Deignan has surprised fans with an early retirement from professional cycling. The 36-year-old star, who planned to stop at the end of the 2025 season, shared on Tuesday, July 23, 2025, that she is expecting her third child and will now retire right away. Deignan, one of Great Britain's most successful cyclists, shared the news on Instagram with a baby announcement and the caption: 'A new chapter in the Deignan story.' Her team, Lidl-Trek, also confirmed her retirement on the same day. Lizzie Deignan retires from cycling career after pregnancy news Originally from Otley, West Yorkshire, Lizzie Deignan is a former world champion with 43 pro victories and an Olympic silver medal from London 2012. She was scheduled to retire later this year but moved the date ahead after learning she was pregnant. Her third offspring will be this one. In June 2025, in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she rode in the Copenhagen Sprint, her final race was held. Before that, she raced in the Tour of Britain Women. Speaking to BBC Sport, Deignan said, 'I have this life outside of cycling that gives me so much fulfilment and so much love.' She added, 'I don't need to retire at the top. I'm really happy to go full circle and help others win again before I finish.' Deignan had taken breaks before — once in 2018 when her daughter Orla was born, and again in 2022 for the birth of her son, Shea. Even though she thought about retiring in 2022, she chose to continue racing in a support role, helping younger riders grow. Lizzie Deignan's final win came in Barcelona with Lidl-Trek team Lizzie Deignan won the first women's team time trial stage in Barcelona for her Lidl-Trek team and went on to more recently win a pro race at the Vuelta Espana Femenina in May 2025. Also Read: US Olympic Bans Transgender: List Of All Athletes Who Can't Compete In The Women's Sports Events To the many classics she won in her career, one should fully voice the 2021 Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Strade Bianche, the Women's Tour, and the Tour of Flanders. In 2015, she was ranked first worldwide in Richmond, Virginia, too. While Deignan's choice to leave right now is loaded with emotion, fans and colleagues support her. Online Lidl-Trek wrote, "Thanks Lizzie for your leadership, kindness, and fantastic accomplishments. " FAQs 1. Who is Lizzie Deignan? Lizzie Deignan is a British cyclist with 43 pro wins and an Olympic silver medal. 2. When did Lizzie Deignan retire? She retired in July 2025 after announcing her third pregnancy. 3. What was her last race? Her final race was the Copenhagen Sprint in June 2025. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
RTÉ News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Lara Gillespie creates history at Vuelta Espana Femenina
Lara Gillespie took the best grand tour result ever by an Irishwoman on Friday, sprinting to fourth in the Vuelta Espana Femenina. The UAE Team ADQ rider was positioned outside the top 10 as the sprint unfolded but powered past multiple riders before the line in Baltanas. The stage was won by Marianne Vos (Visma Lease a Bike), widely recognised as the greatest female competitor of all time, ahead of another Dutchwoman Mischa Bredewold (Team SD Worx-Protime). The Australian Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) was third. Gillespie's speed inside the final 200 metres was highly impressive. Had she been better positioned inside the final kilometre a podium finish would have been achievable. "This is a nice step in the ride direction for me," she said. "My first grand tour stage race is a whole new experience. These climbs, descents and technical finishes are also new for me." The Vuelta Espana Femenina is, in English, the women's Tour of Spain. Together with the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and the Giro d'Italia Women, they are the most important stage races in the sport. Gillespie's performance is hugely significant, not least because she is still in her first full season as a WorldTour rider. Her UAE Team ADQ squad promoted her from its development team last June on the back of three race victories. The Enniskerry rider is Ireland's top female cyclist, shining on track and road despite being just 24 years of age. In February she became the first Irishwoman to win an elite European track championship, taking the elimination race in Zolder, Belgium. Her performances on the road mark her out as one who is well on the way to becoming one of the sport's top sprinters. Gillespie is embracing that role, and is encouraged by her showing on Friday in Spain. "I feel fast in the finish but I'm learning how to position myself to compete for the win," she said. "Step by step. I'm already excited for the next opportunity to sprint in a few weeks again." The Vuelta Espana Femenina ends Saturday with a tough summit finish, not Gillespie's ideal terrain. She will recharge after the race in advance of her next events. She is provisionally scheduled to ride the Omloop der Kempen Ladies in the Netherlands on 17 May, but her team told RTÉ Sport today that confirmation of her next event will come at a later date. It is not clear if she could be considered for this year's Tour de France Femmes avez Zwift. However, her performance on Friday should boost her chances of selection for the race, which takes place in late July.
