Zoe Backstedt to race Paris-Roubaix with the same pedals her father Magnus Backstedt used to win the race in 2004
Cycling
After Magnus Backstedt won the Hell of the North in 2004, he kept the pedals he had used a memento. Now, 19 years later those same pedals will return to Paris-Roubaix. This time being used by daughter Zoe Backstedt.
“I got them from him when I joined the team,” the 18-year-old revealed to EF Education-TIBCO-SVB's official website. “We had just moved to Belgium and he was very happy to give them to me. I had only seen the pedals once or twice before that. The thoughts of riding Paris-Roubaix with it immediately crossed my mind.”
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With Backstedt now set to make her Paris-Roubaix debut, she has been granted her wish and will ride the course with a piece of cycling history as part of her bike. Having already done some reconnaissance of the course, the young Welsh star is feeling the excitement that always surrounds the iconic race.
“I loved it and I am really looking forward to the competition," said Backstedt of her practice rides around the Paris-Roubaix course. "Hopefully the pedals will give me luck," she concludes.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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