OTLEY'S Lizzie Deignan is the latest sporting figure to become involved in the sexism in cycling debate.

The 2015 World Road Race Champion has been speaking about the issue in the national press - and on Twitter, where she reveals it forms part of her forthcoming autobiography.

In an interview published in the Guardian Lizzie mentions several experiences she had that she believes revealed an ingrained culture of inequality within cycling.

Those include some of the massive differences in pay for men and women in the sport.

Lizzie only received £2,000 for her 2015 World Championship win, a tenth of the £20,000 men's winner Peter Sagan received - though from this year both genders will receive the same reward.

She also claims that British women riders, when with the national team, often had to borrow helmets from the men and were warned they would be banned if they didn't return them.

A number of other examples of alleged sexism within the sport are included in her Steadfast: My Story, which will be published - under Lizzie's maiden name, Armitstead - on April 20.

Posting on her Twitter account on Friday, March 31, however, she took pains to point out that she didn't think British Cycling as a body was at fault.

She said: "I would like to be clear I do not think BC as an organisation are sexist.

"My book is about my own experiences and mine alone, I don't speak for anybody other than myself."

The whole issue of sexism in cycling came to the fore last April when rider Jess Varnish claimed former British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton - who denies the allegation - told her to 'go away and have a baby'.

Nicole Cooke, the 2008 Olympic Road Race champion, has also spoken repeatedly about female cyclists receiving poorer treatment than their male counterparts.

Fellow Olympian Joanna Rowsell Shand, however, spoke out last week to say she had never experienced a sexist atmosphere in British Cycling.

Lizzie was allowed to compete in the 2016 Olympics last summer despite missing three drugs tests, after a successful appeal.

In her book she admits to now having nightmares about missing tests, and says she feels 'terrible' for inadvertently adding to the suspicion of corruption currently surrounding cycling.