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| Human Interest | |
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Sport Specific Information | |
| Club / Team | Trek - Segafredo: United States |
General Interest | |
| Injuries | After feeling unwell for most of 2017 she underwent an appendix operation in September of that year. (Facebook page, 06 Dec 2018) She withdrew from the 2015 Women's Tour of Britain as the result of a crash after the finish line on stage one of the race. She was taken to hospital in a neck brace. (olympictalk.nbcsports.com, 17 Jun 2015) She was plagued by injuries throughout 2013, which culminated with her being diagnosed with a hernia at the end of the season. (cyclingnews.com, 05 Feb 2014) She pulled out of the 2012 World Track Cycling Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, because of a side strain. (cyclingnews.com, 17 Mar 2012) She had an operation on her back in 2008 after suffering a spinal stress fracture. (independent.co.uk, 21 Sep 2008) |
Sport Specific Information | |
| Why this sport? | At age 16 she was noticed as part of a talent identification programme that visited her school. "I thought I'd give it a go to get out of maths class - and then got very competitive about it against the boys - and the rest, as they say, is history." |
General Interest | |
| Ambitions | To compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (cyclingnews.com, 20 Dec 2019) |
Sport Specific Information | |
| When and where did you begin this sport? | She took up cycling at age 16. |
Further Personal Information | |
| Occupation | Athlete |
General Interest | |
| Nicknames | Lizzie (Twitter profile, 09 Nov 2019) |
| Sporting philosophy / motto | "Don't believe your own hype." (Facebook page, 18 Mar 2020) |
| Famous relatives | Her husband Philip Deignan was a professional road cyclist and competed for Ireland at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. (SportsDeskOnline, 11 Dec 2018; highlandradio.com, 03 May 2016) |
| Most influential person in career | Her first coach, Phil West. (youthcyclesport.co.uk, 18 Mar 2014) |
| Hero / Idol | British heptathlete Denise Lewis. (Facebook page, 18 Mar 2020) |
Further Personal Information | |
| Languages | English |
| Family | Husband Philip Deignan, daughter Orla [2018] |
General Interest | |
| Other information | RETIREMENT PLANS She intended to retire after the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, but in March 2020 she confirmed that she would continue competing into 2021 following the postponement of the Games. "I have the motivation and optimism to carry me through to an Olympics in 2021. What a special Games that will be." (cyclingnews.com, 25 Mar 2020) BABY BREAK She took a year away from cycling in 2018 to have a baby. She returned to the sport the following year with the Trek - Segafredo team. "Cycling is less important than it's ever been but I'm more motivated than I've ever been. I go out and I love riding my bike now. I have a perspective now having taken a year away from professional sport just how lucky I am to do it as a job. It's crazy to think I wasn't enjoying it when I was the best in the world. So now I'm just determined, whatever happens, to enjoy it. I don't know whether it's about being a mum or having that year out from the sport, but I understand now that it's not going to last forever." (theguardian.com, 20 Sep 2019; bbc.co.uk, 09 Jun 2019; thetimes.co.uk, 02 Jun 2019) AUTHOR Her autobiography 'Steadfast' was published in April 2017. The book documents her life and cycling career. (Facebook page, 06 Dec 2018) |
| Other sports | She represented Great Britain in track cycling at the world championships in 2008, 2009, and 2010, winning a total of five medals. (SportsDeskOnline, 26 Mar 2020) |
| Awards and honours | In 2014 and 2020 she was named Female Rider of the Year by Cycling Weekly magazine. (cyclingweekly.com, 15 Dec 2020; Facebook page, 18 Mar 2020) |
Further Personal Information | |
| Other names | Lizzie Armitstead |
Sport Specific Information | |
| Name of coach | Philip Deignan [husband], IRL |