Joanna Rowsell Shand has announced her retirement from professional cycling ©Getty Images

Two-time Olympic champion Joanna Rowsell Shand has announced her retirement from professional cycling.

The 28-year-old won team pursuit gold at the London 2012 Olympics with Dani King and Laura Kenny, before defending the title in the extended four rider event at Rio 2016.

Rowsell Shand rode in the event with Kenny, Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker as the quartet set a world record time of 4min 10.236sec.

Over the London 2012 and Rio 2016 team pursuit competitions, the British team broke the world record in all six of their rides.

During her 10-year career, Rowsell Shand secured five world titles, four European golds and became the Commonwealth Games individual pursuit champion at Glasgow 2014.

“Having been part of the GB Cycling Team for over 10 years, travelling around the world racing my bike, I am announcing my retirement from international cycling competition,” she said.

“I have achieved everything I've ever wanted to in cycling including five World Titles, four European Titles, Commonwealth Gold and two Olympic Golds as well as countless World Cup and National Championship medals across both team and individual events.

“But more valuable than any of these are the special friends for life, amazing memories made, and the transformation from shy school girl to confident woman.

“I have enjoyed this fabulous career and the decision to step away has been the hardest I've ever had to make, but now is the time for me to move on.

“I want to thank the amazing team at British Cycling; from the world class team behind the team who work tirelessly to ensure we have the best preparation for events, to the very first youth coaches who talent spotted me back when I was 15.

“I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Rowsell Shand has now expressed her aim to complete the l’Etape du Tour in July, an amateur race which covers the same route as one stage of the Tour de France.

She has also established a new coaching company.

“We fully respect Joanna’s decision to retire from elite cycling and on behalf of British Cycling I’d like to wish her the best of luck as she starts her new chapter,” said Jonathan Browning, British Cycling’s chair.

“As only one of a few women in Great Britain who has two Olympic gold medals to her name, Joanna can be extremely proud of what she has achieved.

"It’s not only her on-bike achievements which have made Joanna an asset to British Cycling, it’s also what she’s done for the sport off the bike, epitomising the role of an ambassador and encouraging so many women and children to take up our sport of cycling.”