The Yorkshirewoman talks about the challenge of taking on the dominant nation in women’s road racing in Tokyo, and how her life has changed since Rio 2016
Five years after the contorted, controversial run-in to the Rio Olympic Games, Lizzie Deignan is happy to admit the contrast between then and now could hardly be greater. Since June 2016, when the Yorkshire rider endured a whereabouts controversy that was stymied by the court of arbitration for sport, and went on to finish fifth in Rio, she has married, given birth to her daughter Orla and returned to competition at the highest level.
Following all that with juggling family life and bike racing in the middle of a global pandemic does lend a certain degree of perspective, as she points out. “Personally and professionally I’m in a totally different place. I’m still very focused, I still want to win the race but my perspective on where it stands in the rest of my life is very different. I’m a lot more relaxed than going into Rio. Life’s good and I’m happy to be here.”
