Lizzie Deignan is preparing to bid an emotional farewell to racing on British roads as she takes part in the Tour of Britain, a race that will mark the end of her remarkable career. The four-day event starts in Dalby Forest and finishes in Glasgow, locations filled with special memories for the 36-year-old cyclist. Deignan expressed excitement about the race, saying it felt fitting to begin in Yorkshire and end in Glasgow, where she enjoyed some of her greatest achievements.
Deignan’s decision to retire at the end of this season has stirred deep emotions. She reflected on her journey with a sense of gratitude and pride, highlighting milestones like her Olympic silver medal at the London 2012 Games, her Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow in 2014, her historic win in the first-ever women’s Paris-Roubaix, and her 2015 world road race championship. Despite the inevitable sadness that comes with closing a chapter, she feels fortunate to have had the choice to step away on her own terms, describing the feeling as “liberating.”
Throughout her career, Deignan has witnessed and contributed to the growth of women’s cycling. She has been a trailblazer both on and off the bike, balancing the demands of motherhood with the rigors of elite endurance racing. Reflecting on how much the sport has changed since she started, she noted that many of the races she won did not even exist when she began competing. “I’ve grown up alongside the sport,” she said. “When I started, everyone was racing just for passion.”
Looking ahead, the future of British women’s cycling seems bright with rising stars like 19-year-old Cat Ferguson, who will make her debut in the Tour of Britain riding for Movistar. Ferguson, the standout performer at the 2024 UCI Road World Championships where she won both the junior time trial and road race, is seen as a natural successor to Deignan’s legacy. Deignan praised Ferguson’s talent and highlighted how much more professional and structured the sport has become for this new generation of riders.
Ferguson’s first season at World Tour level has been a mix of highs and lows. She made a solid impression on her Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España but also faced setbacks, including a serious crash during the Paris-Roubaix caused by a spectator’s distraction. Ferguson admitted that “there’s been a lot of bad luck, alongside the good things,” emphasizing the harsh realities of racing at the top level, where resilience is key.
Among the strong field of competitors in the Tour of Britain, Ferguson will be racing against Olympic road race champion Kristen Faulkner of EF Education-Oatly, as well as Anna Henderson, a Paris Olympics time trial silver medallist and Deignan’s teammate at Lidl-Trek. For Ferguson, the Tour of Britain is a major goal this season, and she is eager to prove herself against such a competitive lineup.
The race itself will evoke memories for Deignan, especially the circuit race in Glasgow on Sunday, which recalls her 2014 Commonwealth Games victory. Meanwhile, the opening stages from Dalby Forest to Redcar and Hartlepool to Saltburn-by-the-Sea will feel somewhat familiar to her, as an Otley native. She acknowledged the challenge of the typically wet and slow British roads but feels she may have a slight advantage given her experience riding these conditions. “They’re not quite my ‘home’ roads, but I know what to expect,” she said.
Rod Ellingworth, in his second year as race director for the Tour of Britain, revealed that there had been discussion about possibly finishing the race in Yorkshire as a tribute to Deignan’s career. Ultimately, Glasgow was chosen for the finale to coincide with the city’s desire to host a Festival of Cycling. Ellingworth pointed out the practical realities of staging the event, noting the challenges of securing local authority funding and the need to balance ideal race routes with logistical considerations.
The Tour of Britain will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and TNT Sports, offering fans a chance to witness Deignan’s poignant final British race and to see the next generation of female cyclists, including Ferguson, take center stage. This event not only celebrates a stellar career but also highlights the exciting future of women’s cycling in Britain.
