Under-23 World Champion, but could Zoe Bäckstedt have beat Reusser? - "Hopefully next time I can try out for the elites"
Cycling
This Monday opened up with the women's under-23 time-trial race and the victor was far from being contested. The very difficult course in Kigali has seen thus far three convincing winners with very large gaps, and this time around it was Zoe Bäckstedt's opportunity to conquer another gold medal, after having conquered the junior world title in the discipline back in both 2022 and 2023.
Although it does not mean the Briton would win in the elite ranks - it can't be said because the distance was different, and the route slightly shorter - Bäckstedt averaged 43.8Km/h in today's effort whilst elite winner Marlen Reusser rode 43.3Km/h this Sunday and second place rider Anna van der Breggen rode at 42.5Km/h. The 20-year old's performance was staggering and miles above her peers, with second place Viktória Chladonová coming in 1:50 minutes slower in a 30-minute race.
"Hearing that I was up at the first time check, only by 16 seconds, I thought 'ok it's possible to lose that on the last climb.' But I just kept pushing as hard as I could on the section in between," she admitted in a post-race interview, not aware at the time that her gap would be growing significantly in the coming kilometers. The speed the Briton took up the final cobbled climb, leaving the talented Marie Schreiber in a figurative standstill, was a sign of the time that was to be revealed at the finish line.
Bäckstedt's advantage was more than sufficient to cover any mishap in the finale, and with this she has won her first world under-23 world title. "I was of course nervous before the start. I think that's natural in one of these championship events. Those two climbs that we had to do just zapped your legs completely. I have to say, it was quite fun on that downhill going super quick. I’m looking forward to seeing what my maximum speed was in that one".
With junior and under-23 world titles in her palmarès, what comes next may be one at elite level. "It means a lot. Hopefully next time I can try out for the elites," she concluded.
🚴🌈 | Zoe Backstedt werd al wereldkampioen tijdrijden bij de junioren en wordt het nu ook bij de beloften. Er staat in Kigali simpelweg geen maat op haar! 🥇🇬🇧 #Kigali2025
— Eurosport Nederland (@Eurosport_NL) September 22, 2025
📺 Stream koers op HBO Max pic.twitter.com/tq3RxJbl9h
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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