Zoe
Bäckstedt
United Kingdom
·
Cycling
Data e lindjes | 24 Shtator 2004 |
|---|---|
Age | 21 |
Kombësia | United Kingdom |
Disiplinat | Road Cycling |
Growing up in a small village just outside of Cardiff in Wales, Zoe Bäckstedt was quickly introduced to the world of cycling by her parents. Her father Magnus won the famed Paris-Roubaix race and her mother, Megan Hughes, was also a professional cyclist.
Despite growing up in a cycling-centric family – her sister, Elynor, is also a professional cyclist – Zoe initially enjoyed playing netball and tennis, and it was only at the age of 10 that she decided to solely concentrate on pursuing a career on two wheels.
Making an impression in the junior ranks
The decision certainly proved to be the correct one as Zoe quickly began to impress in the junior ranks. She racked up numerous national titles before making her mark on the world scene in 2020 when she won a Junior UCI World Cup race, having turned 16 just two months previously.
2021 then proved to be a breakout year for the young rider as she impressed across numerous disciplines. At the UCI Road World Championships, she claimed gold in the junior women’s road race and silver in the junior time trial. She also set a new junior individual pursuit world record and was part of a team pursuit world record riding squad.
World Championship success
Her remarkable rise continued in 2022 when Zoe defended her road race title and upgraded her junior time trial silver to gold at the World Championships. She then won a second world junior title, this time in the cyclocross discipline, before making it a hat-trick of world titles in different disciplines by winning the madison at the UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships.
Having stepped up to the Under-23 category in 2023, Zoe made the big decision to relocate to Belgium. The move quickly paid dividends as she secured two silver medals at the Cyclocross World Championships.
Zoe claimed gold in the 2024 UCI Cyclocross World Championships under-23 women’s race, backing it up in 2025 with her second successive U23 title.
Still at the very start of her career, it seems only a matter of time before the Welsh rider is chasing world titles at senior level, whether that’s on the track, the road or cyclocross.
Zoe Backstedt is the rising star of cycling
© Greg Coleman/Red Bull Content Pool
Backstedt becoming the women's under-23 Cyclo-cross World Champion
© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool
Zoe Backstedt powers to 2024 UCI CX World Championship victory
© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool
Zoe Backstedt in cyclo-cross celebration mode
© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool