Brilliant Zoe Backstedt Becomes Double European Champion In France

By Hannah Blackwell

Zoe Backstedt continued to prove her versatility as well as her huge potential when she won the Under 23 Women’s title at the European Cyclo-cross Championships in France.

Backstedt added a second European jersey to her 2023 collection at the weekend, after winning the race in sensational style under tough conditions.

Starting strongly on the front row, the 19-year-old Welsh star found herself in a lead pair, quickly riding away from the field with Marie Schreiber.

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Backstedt delivered a superb third lap, the fastest in the race, to build a two-second lead on her French rival which – despite a couple of slips – ultimately proved unassailable and she cruised across the finish line to take the win.

It means Backstedt is now European U23 cyclo-cross champion as well as European U23 time trial champion on the road – a crown she won in September.

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Great Britain made their mark on a jam-packed day of racing following the rescheduling of Saturday’s events due to bad weather in Pont-Château, France.

The GB squad closed out the weekend in style, with Backstedt taking the under-23 women’s title, and Cam Mason and Cat Ferguson adding silver medals to their collections in the elite men’s and junior women’s races, respectively.

Mason gave a career-defining performance to become the first ever Brit to stand on the UEC Cyclo-cross European Championship podium, with a well-earned silver medal win.

Ferguson made it a double silver weekend as she added a junior women’s medal to her team relay success on Friday.

https://twitter.com/BritishCycling/status/1721240772924625013?s=20

Learn more about the latest updates on Zoe Backstedt.

Zoe Backstedt Makes GB Team For Cyclo-cross European Championships