Recently-retired Lizzie Deignan will be returning to the sport in a new capacity, taking up a sport director role at the Great Britain Cycling Team to work with the road squad at World Championships and other major events leading towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Deignan, who retired in 2025, has so far spent her time away from the sport welcoming a third child and working as a pundit, but will now make her return to racing in the Great Britain team car.
As well as her successes for her various trade teams, which included winning the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Deignan was highly successful in a GB jersey too, delivering the first medal at the London 2012 Olympics and winning a world title in Richmond in 2015.
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In her new role with British Cycling, she will be hoping to help the new generation of riders to reach the heights that she did.
"I’m excited about the opportunity to work with a strong and talented group of riders; I believe we’re one of the strongest road nations in the world. It’s been over 10 years since my world title so it’s time for us to step into our potential and deliver more rainbow jerseys!" she said in a British Cycling press release.
"It’s always a proud moment to represent your country - my aim is to help each rider who does that achieve their maximum performance with the best possible support."
Matt Brammeier, the current road cycling lead at British Cycling, welcomed Deignan's appointment with enthusiasm.
"Bringing Lizzie into the team is a real coup," he said. "Having only recently retired from the bunch, she has so much insight and knowledge into both GB’s riders and the opposition. She also understands how we work as a team first-hand and can support and advise on how to get the best out of our riders on race day.
"Beyond that, Lizzie is a true legend of the sport and has directly inspired some of our future stars to want to follow in her footsteps, so to be working alongside her will be a real joy for them. Most importantly, she is just incredibly passionate about the sport and seeing Great Britain achieve success at the highest level and that shines through above everything."
Deignan will work with the Great Britain Cycling Team at various international events but the main focus for British Cycling right now is the LA Olympics in 2028, where they are hoping to back up the successes of Paris which saw Anna Henderson score a silver medal in the women's time trial.
Though Great Britain is a dominant force on the track, the nation hasn't won a gold medal on the road since 2008 when Nicole Cooke won the road race in Beijing. At the World Championships, riders like Zoe Bäckstedt, Cat Ferguson and Harry Hudson have delivered age-group rainbow jerseys, but a GB rider hasn't won an elite road race or TT since Deignan herself won in Richmond.
With over 20 years of experience as a professional, British Cycling are hoping her return to the fold can also bring back a return to the top of the biggest international road events.
"It’s now incredibly exciting to see her wanting to continue to contribute to the success of the team from the team car, so to speak," GBCT performance director Stephen Park CBE said.
"Having a rider return to the programme beyond their racing career is a true testament to their relationship with the programme and I know that Lizzie’s input will be invaluable as we move ever closer to LA 2028."
