World champion Lizzie Deignan is a completely different cyclist 12 months on

As well having a new surname following her recent marriage, Lizzie Deignan is a completely different person to the cyclist that won the World Road Race title 12 months ago, according to the rider herself.

The 27-year-old will look to defend her rainbow jersey in Saturday's road race in Doha, a flat 134.5km course, after a rollercoaster year as World Champion.

After winning the Tour of Flanders back in April, she failed to earn a medal at the Olympic Games after a controversial build-up which saw her successfully overturn a ban for three missed drug tests.

Lizzie Armitstead, now Lizzie Deignan, after winning gold in Road World Championships

Image credit: Reuters

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She eventually finished fifth in Rio but Deignan admits the build up in particular had taken her on an invaluable learning curve.

"I look back to that (last year's World Championships) and think I was a different rider, a different person, full of hopes and expectations and didn't know what to expect in the aftermath," she said.

"I think life changed after that and it was a great experience, one that I will treasure.

Fans including John Armistead (2L) father of Britain's cyclist Lizzie Armitstead wait for the start of the road race

Image credit: AFP

"I would be lying if I said it wasn't extremely difficult for me and my family during that period (build-up to Rio).

"It was traumatic to be honest but I'm proud of the way we got through it as a family, I can say I've grown as a person through it."

Deignan also admitted that the World Championships were not her most important part of her 2016 season but that she felt it was important to be in Doha as the reigning world champion.

"It's not been normal preparation for a World Championships this year, my project this year was the Olympic Games and the Tour of Flanders before that," she added.

"I think it's important that I'm here to respect the jersey and respect the next winner of the jersey but I'm not prepared like I did for Richmond.

"It's been an up and down year. Obviously but I'm very proud of the victories that I got in it.

"I think it was 11 victories and I reached all the goals I wanted to achieve apart from the Olympic Games, looking back I'm proud of what I did and happy with the year that I had."

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