After the birth of her second child and taking time away from racing, Lizzie Deignan could make an early return to the peloton with Trek-Segafredo at La Flèche Wallonne on April 19 and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 23.
"The field of champions is notably completed by Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo), returning to competition after giving birth to her second child," organisers ASO announced Deignan's participation at Flèche Wallonne on Thursday.
However, Trek-Segafredo told Cyclingnews that Deignan's early return to racing at the Ardennes Classics is still undecided. The team has said it has asked her to prepare to start Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in case she is needed due to the possibility of some riders being unavailable at the moment.
Deignan initially anticipated a return to competition at La Vuelta Femenina, held from May 1-7 in Spain, but could push plans to race ahead 13 days sooner than expected at the final two rounds of the Ardennes Classics.
Deignan won Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2020 and has finished second on the podium at Flèche Wallonne Femmes in two previous editions in 2014 and 2017.
Trek-Segafredo has yet to announce the full roster for the three Ardennes Classics, which begin at Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition on Sunday. ASO has listed Deignan, Elisa Longo Borghini and this year's Trofeo Alfredo Binda winner Shirin van Anrooij at Flèche Wallonne.
Longo Borghini finished third at Flèche Wallonne Femmes in 2014 and again in 2021. Recovered from COVID-19 earlier this season, Longo Borghini will once again be a contender for the podium.
Deignan gave birth to her first child in 2018 and then made a successful comeback to professional cycling during the Ardennes Classics in April 2019.
Rather than return during the Classics season, as she did in 2019, she had anticipated beginning at the revamped seven-day La Vuelta Femenina, which has moved from its traditional September spot on the calendar to May.
The initial plan was to gain seven days of racing under her belt at the beginning of her comeback, but that plan could now include the final two Ardennes depending on the rosters and rider availability at Trek-Segafredo.
Deignan plans also include a focus on the Tour de France Femmes in July and the UCI World Championships in Glasgow in August.
