Lizzie Deignan (Trek Segardo) announced that she was expecting her second child.
2015 World Road Race Champion and emphatic Paris–Roubaix Femme Winner — has confirmed that she will be back in 2023 after signing a contract extension with Trek–Segafredo .
Deignan retired from pro cycling in 2018 in order to start a family. The following season, she returned to pro cycling and established herself as one of the most accomplished athletes in the sport. Her career spans three decades.
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Deignan stated that Phil and I were thrilled to announce our second child, which she did in a press release on Wednesday morning.
Although having a baby was a major decision, it wasn’t difficult for us. She said that she and her husband have always longed to have a large family, and now is the right time to have another.
“Orla is ready to have a sibling. I feel like I’m able and established in my career to take that next step and have a child. Everything just fell into place behind the scenes. It was great to have a stable team and settled where we live. It was an emotional decision, but it was a logical one to expand our family.
“After going through the process of having a child and then returning to the sport, it was easy for me to see that it is possible. Although it is physically demanding and difficult, it is not restrictive. This was something I discovered after having Orla and that helped me make the decision to return after another child.
Trek and Deignan have been partners since 2018, when Trek signed Deignan as part of their first pregnancy. Deignan, 33, is looking forward to returning to the sport. Deignan said that while she will miss the Tour de France Femme in July 2022, it will be her last season. However, Deignan stated that the team was there for her and that she looks forward to the 2024 Tour full of optimism and excitement.
“It’s been quite an emotionally charged experience. Deignan stated that Trek was supportive of my pregnancy after I spoke with them.
“I told Ina, my sports manager, first and she immediately replied, ‘That’s fucking amazing, congratulations!’ This really got me back. That support was so important to me personally. Although I am a professional cyclist on a professional team of riders, the support felt very personal to me and I’m so grateful.
“I don’t believe there’s ever a right time to have children. As with an injury or retirement, there is never a perfect time. There are many factors that can make it impossible to attend an event. For me, this is the Tour de France Femmes. It could be the first ever women’s Milan Sanremo next year, which would be an incredible thing to participate in. I can see beyond what I will miss. I will be there to watch the girls, and I’ll follow them. It’s not hard to see how I will envy them at times, but it’s worth it .”
Deignan is well-respected as an ambassador and figurehead within the peloton as well as women’s sports. She also said that motherhood shouldn’t be seen as a limitation or step back in athletic performance and women’s sports.
“It’s important that women don’t view the fact that they want a career as a limitation because of their desire to be a mother. She said that becoming a mother was a dream of hers as well as being an athlete.
“To be able combine both has made me very proud. It is something that I am passionate about, and it’s why I advocate for other women to do so. It’s a part of many women’s lives, and should be encouraged and supported. Anything is possible with a flexible approach from sponsors and teammates. A happy athlete is a better competitor .”
