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Welsh Cycling Ace Zoe Backstedt Starts Year In Fine Style In France

Welsh Cycling Ace Zoe Backstedt Starts Year In Fine Style In France

Welsh cycling prospect Zoe Backstedt notched up another hugely impressive display at the Troyes Cyclocross International in France. The 16-year-old finished fifth in the elite women’s race – even though she is still in her first year in the junior women’s ranks.

Welsh cycling prospect Zoe Backstedt notched up another hugely impressive display at the Troyes Cyclocross International in France.

The 16-year-old finished fifth in the elite women’s race – even though she is still in her first year in the junior women’s ranks.

Pontyclun-based Backstedt came home one min 19 secs down on France’s Lauriane Duraffourg, who is more than two years her senior.

https://twitter.com/WelshCycling/status/1345372339932954624

Duraffourg clocked 41 mins 46 secs to lead home a quartet of local riders before Backstedt crossed the line.

Backstedt – who celebrated her 16th birthday last September by signing for top Belgian Cyclocross team Tormans Acrog – won the opening UCI World Cup junior women’s race in the Czech Republic in November with a stunning victory.

Zoe Backstedt celebrates her victory in the first World Cup Cyclo-cross junior women’s race in the Czech Republic. Pic: Getty Images

But her World Cup campaign has been disrupted since with the two junior women’s races scheduled for Belgium on December 20 and 27 cancelled due to COVID-19.