Elise Delzenne retires at 28

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Elise Delzenne has announced her retirement from cycling at the age of 28. A French national champion on the road and track, Delzenne started her road career with Bourgogne-Pro Dialog in 2013 before moving onto Specialized-Lululemon for two seasons.

Delzenne has spent the last two seasons with the Lotto Soudal Ladies squad, riding a road and track schedule. Her last race came at the World Championships in Bergen where she finished 36th. In 2014, she was part of the French team which helped Pauline Ferrand-Prevot to the rainbow jersey.

The 28-year-old announced her retirement from cycling via her Facebook page, explaining the reasoning behind her decision and new career.

"High-level sport has given me a lot of emotions, disappointment, suffering, and joy and well-being," she wrote. "I met wonderful people, discovered different countries and cultures. It was an amazing experience...

"My choice is reflective and definitive, a new story with different challenges and objectives, and this story is part of the Btwin Women's Road Bike Team that I will be starting as a women's road bike Textile Engineer. It is a real opportunity that is proposed to me."

Before taking up her new role, Delzenne will close out the season and her career at the European Track Championships in Berlin, Germany next month.

During her career, Delzenne won the 2015 Dwars door de Westhoek, a stage of the Festival Elsy Jacobs this year and the 2016 Trophée d'Or Féminin. On the track, she won numerous medals at the national championships and won the Glasgow World Cup Scratch race last year.