Backstedt Sisters Join Storey Racing For 2019

By Rob Cole

Two of the hottest young properties in Welsh women’s cycling, the Backstedt sisters, have both signed-up to ride for the Storey Racing Team next year.

The 16-year-old Elynor and 14-year-old Zoe will join the new Storey Racing venture launched by Dame Sarah and her husband Barney Storey.

Launched in 2017 to provide the very best in racing opportunities and mentoring, Dame Sarah has put together a team of multi-talented British riders.

With 14 gold medals in swimming and cycling, Dame Sarah is the most successful female British Paralympian of all time.

The G-Force Pulling Elynor And Zoe Backstedt Towards More Welsh Cycling Glory

Her major achievements also include being a 29-time World champion (6 in swimming and 23 in cycling), a 21-time European champion (18 in swimming and 3 in cycling) and holding 75 world records.

Her squad personifies the team’s #BestVersionOfYou mentality, which seeks to inspire everyone around them to be the best they can be regardless of age, performance level or activity preference. She will act as a mentor to the Backstedts and their teammates.

Riders in the team will race Road, Track, Time Trials, Cyclocross and Mountain Bike across the course of the year. Elynor and Zoe will be joining fellow Welsh star Ffion James in the Storey stable.

Elynor was recently crowned the BBC Wales Carwyn James Junior Sportswoman of the Year winner after winning a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships.

She scooped the first British medal at the event in Innsbruck in the Junior Time Trial, even though she was a first year junior at 16, and she was then the second British finisher in the Road Race in 30th place.

Her year came to a bumpy end last weekend when she damaged her collar bone at a cyclo cross event, but she should be fit and firing by the time she joins the British Junior Female Endurance squad along with fellow Welsh rider Eluned King.