Team Sky's Philip Deignan grateful to bow out ‘at the top’

Team Sky rider Philip Deignan has announced his retirement from professional cycling, calling time on a 14-year career.

Deignan, 35, announced the news via social media that 2018 was to be his final year in the pro ranks.

“With a combination of sadness but also a huge sense of pride and optimism, I would like to announce my retirement from professional cycling,” Deignan wrote.

“As a 15-year-old riding around Donegal I never dreamt I’d go on to make the sport I love my job for 14 years. I appreciate the opportunities that have come my way and to so many people who helped me during my career, thank you.”

“To be able to finish my career healthy and at the top of my sport with the best team in the world, makes me grateful and proud. On to the next challenge.”

After making waves as a teenager racing on the French amateur scene in the early 2000s, the Letterkenny man made the transition over to the pro scene after a string of wins in the under-23 category.

After telling his parents he was going to England to study, instead he packed his bags and moved to the South of France with little money and even less French.

In 2005, at just 22, Deignan had a breakout performance with a victory at the Tour du Doubs race in eastern France in the colours of AG2R-La Mondiale.

In 2008 he competed alongside Nicolas Roche at the Olympic Games in Beijing. Later that year he was snapped up by the Cerveló Test Team as support for the reigning Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre.

The defining moment of his career came in 2009 at the Vuelta España where he out-foxed his breakaway companion Roman Kreuziger to win in Avila. He would go on to finish ninth overall and, still just 25, was tipped as an future contender for the hilly races.

After many seasons plagued by knee injuries and glandular fever, Deignan made the switch away from Europe in 2012 to race on the US racing circuit with the pro-continental level United Healthcare team. A string of strong results included a win at the Tour of the Gila and a top 10 at the Tour of California in 2013.

These results caught the eye of Team Sky boss David Brailsford and at Sky Deignan used his experience and climbing talent to fill a support role in the mountains for the likes of Chris Froome.

Although overlooked to ride the Tour de France, he had the privilege of racing a Grand Tour on home roads when the Giro d’Italia started in Belfast in 2014.

Having recently become a father, Deignan will turn to family matters before making his next career move. In 2016 he married fellow cyclist and Olympic medalist Lizzie Deignan (née Armitstead) and the couple welcomed their daughter Orla in September.