"I have my whole career to race elite" - Zoe Bäckstedt defends her decision to race in the U23 category at cyclocross World Championships

The twenty-year old Zoe Bäckstedt is already one of the best cyclocrossers in the world, yet the talented Brit chooses to defend her under-23 title rather than competing in the elite category in Liévin. Many will shake their heads over her decision, but Bäckstedt won't back down, noting that she'll have more than enough opportunities to fight the very best in the future.

"I have my whole career to race elite," the 20-year-old said in an interview with Cycling Weekly ahead of the World Championships. "Once I move up, I can’t go back. So if that means staying in under-23 this year and next year to hold onto the category for a little longer, then so be it."

For her, the under-23 title holds almost the same value as winning in elite category: "I don’t want to jump too early into elite and potentially regret my decision, so I decided this year that I will battle for the under-23 title. It’s going to be super-tough and super-close racing, but I’m really excited to push for that title again and see what I can do."

"Of course, it’s a big race, and there’s a lot more at the end of it, but at the same time, it’s just another bike race," she said. "You have to think of it as another fun day on the bike and go out to really just enjoy it. If you focus too much on it being Worlds, the pressure can get to you."

Bäckstedt, who will be the outright favourite for victory, will also have no less than three teammates - Cat Ferguson, Imogen Wolff and Ella Maclean-Howell - at the under-23 race. Meanwhile no British jerseys will be present in the elite race as the national federation didn't find any riders to have met its nomination criteria - besides Zoe Bäckstedt herself.