Riitta-Liisa Roponen has retired at the age of 43 ©Getty Images

Finnish cross-country skier Riitta-Liisa Roponen has announced her retirement at the age of 43, after more than 20 years in the sport.

The five-time Winter Olympian has called time on her career following the Finnish Championships in Rovaniemi.

Roponen, who won three World Championship gold medals, said she wants to focus on "new chapters" in her life.

She claimed Olympic bronze at Vancouver 2010 in the 4x5 kilometres relay.

At the World Championships, she won gold in the same event in 2007 and 2009.

In 2007, she also became world champion in the team sprint.

Riitta-Liisa Roponen competed at five Winter Olympic Games ©Getty Images
Riitta-Liisa Roponen competed at five Winter Olympic Games ©Getty Images

The Finn first competed on the World Cup circuit in 1998, when some of today's contenders had not been born.

She went on to make 298 starts on the flagship tour, finishing on the podium 30 times.

Her first Olympics was Salt Lake City in 2002, and she went on to appear at Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018.

She competed at nine World Championships in all, also winning three bronze medals and a silver.