Back-Breaking Work For Zoe Backstedt . . . But The Welsh Wonder Is A Winner Again

By Hannah Blackwell

Zoe Backstedt has revealed her first senior cyclocross victory came at a cost – a bad back.

The 17-year-old Welsh rider became the youngest winner of a women’s elite race at the Ethias Cross cyclocross competition in Essen, Germany.

Backstedt – who became junior road race world champion in September – underlined her huge potential as well as her versatility as she finished more than a minute ahead of her nearest rival, Laura Verdonschot, who took second place.

But the muddy conditions meant plenty of picking up the bike and running and Backstedt admitted: “I was basically running all of the mud [sections] every single lap so it put a lot of pain in my back.

 

Today was a good day 😎 https://t.co/hEIcXYRS9P

— Zoe Backstedt (@Backstedt_Zoe) December 11, 2021

“But it was a really fun course in the end. It was so hard because the water was so deep you go down the little hill and sometimes your front wheel would go a bit too deep into the water and one time I did go over the bars.

“But I had to play it by ear and every time I got to that part I’d assess and if it was quicker to run I’d just run.”

In the three senior World Cup rounds Bäckstedt has competed in so far this season, she’s come 20th, 26th and 22nd, while also winning the round in Tabor in the U19 category.

 

What a ride by @Backstedt_Zoe 🇬🇧 at the #EthiasCross Essen! She takes her first elite cyclo-cross victory 🏆 at just 17 years of age!! pic.twitter.com/aFNQ8tjiLX

— GCN Racing (@GcnRacing) December 11, 2021

“It gives me a lot of confidence after a hard couple of weeks getting ready for the Christmas period,” added Bäckstedt.

“The World Cup next weekend is going to be good for me going into it with the leader’s jersey for the junior’s race so I’m hoping I can defend that. It’s given me a lot of confidence.”

UCI Road Cycling World Champion Zoe Bäckstedt Reflects On Victory Despite Slow Puncture In The Race

Backstedt’s sister Elynor, 19, won bronze in the Junior Road World Championships time trial in 2018 and 2019.

Her father Magnus took stage victories in the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, and won the Paris-Roubaix classic in 2004, while her mother, Megan, competed for Wales at the Commonwealth Games.