LIZZIE DEIGNAN is still targeting World Championship and Olympic glory after revealing she is expecting her first child later this year.

The Otley cyclist has announced she is due to give birth in September but intends to return to action in 2019 – when the UCI Road World Championships come to Yorkshire – before ending her career in 2020 at the Olympics in Tokyo.

Breaking the news on social media, the former world champion, current British champion and double overall World Cup winner said: “Philip (her husband) and I are delighted to announce that we are expecting our first child in September.

"We both feel incredibly lucky and grateful that we are going to become parents. We are excited and full of anticipation for how our lives are going to change.”

Olympic gold medallist Laura Kenny recently made her return to competitive cycling six months after having a baby.

And on targeting her own comeback, Deignan said: "I am aiming to return to professional cycling in 2019 and 2020. I have been inspired by countless women who have showed how successful and feasible this challenge could be.

"My dream of becoming world champion at home in Yorkshire is still my dream. I will just have more people to share the journey with.

“Thank you to those who have believed in me and my husband, family and friends who all support me. I will continue to ride for Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team, who have been the catalyst to success in my career.

"I hope to finish my career in 2020 at the pinnacle of my sport, the Tokyo Olympic Games. Bring it on!”

Deignan – who was known as Armitstead before marrying Team Sky rider Philip Deignan in Otley in 2016 – had already chosen not to defend her Commonwealth Games road race title next month and her pregnancy announcement means that she will also relinquish the treasured Tour de Yorkshire title that she won last year.

Her hiatus comes after a particularly successful 2017 season. Aside from her home race, she supported team-mate Anna van der Breggen in her triple win in the Ardennes, and earned second place in all three races herself.

She also finished on the podium of the new-style La Course, took back the British title on the road and won the GP Plouay for the second time, a race very dear to her heart.

Her ten-year career started at Team Halfords Bikehut in 2008, before she joined the Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team outfit in 2013.

Now though, Deignan is now about to start a whole new adventure.