Elinor Barker has confirmed her 2025 racing season is over after revealing she is pregnant with her second child. The 30-year-old shared the news on Instagram following her final competitive outing of the year at the British National Time Trial Championships.
The Welsh rider placed 16th in Ceredigion, more than five minutes down on winner Zoe Backstedt, before announcing the result would be her last of the season. “Raced my last race of 2025 today at Nationals TT, but for the happiest reason, as we’re expecting our second baby in December,” she posted.
Barker joked about the realities of pregnancy in elite sport, adding: “Ps. If you’re trying to hide a pregnancy at work, try to pick a job that doesn’t require wearing skintight Lycra every day.”
A four-time Olympic medallist, Barker won team pursuit gold at Rio 2016 and silver in Tokyo five years later. She added a bronze medal in the team pursuit and a silver in the madison at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a Games she described at the time as “incredibly emotional” after returning to top-level competition following the birth of her first child, Nico, in 2022.
Barker will miss the 2025 Women’s Road World Championships, including the time trial, but expressed gratitude for the support around her. “Extremely lucky once again to have full support from @unoxteam and @britishcycling and to be surrounded by so many experts.”
In recent years, Barker has also spoken candidly about her experiences racing with endometriosis, as well as the renewed motivation that came with becoming a mother.
