'Miss my life in Australia': Shock as cycling export announces retirement

The Camperdown export, 31, who won the famous Liege-Bastgone-Liege classic in April and is a 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, made the announcement via her Instagram page only a month before the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Brown, who competes for FDJ Suez, a team based in France, said a desire to spend more time at home with her family and friends was a catalyst for her decision to retire.

"This year will be my last year in professional cycling. It's been something I've thought about for a while now and I feel finally confident to tell everyone," she said.

"I know I could have many more years in professional cycling but I really miss my life in Australia with my husband, my family and friends. It's something that is getting harder and harder to leave."

The south-west product, who is currently based between Europe and Australia, also competed in her first Warrnambool Women's Cycling Classic back in February.

She said she was proud of her long list of achievements in the sport, which also included a recent win at the Bretagne Ladies Tour, a three-stage UCI 2.1-level race held from May 22-24 for the second consecutive year.

"I'm content with everything I've achieved, it's far beyond what I expected," she said.

"I'm excited for the next chapter of my life but at the same time I'm also sad to leave that world behind.

"I will surely miss the atmosphere of the races you don't get to experience in normal life and all the great people I've worked with over the years.

"It's an experience I will carry with me forever. It's been a really special experience. I still have some really big goals that I want to achieve this year and I will continue racing with FDJ Suez until the end of the season."