"I have my whole career to race elite" - Zoe Bäckstedt defends her decision to race in the U23 category at cyclocross World Championships
Cyclocross
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.
Read also
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- how else is there to look at things? we are responding to words and pictures, we are not there. your long winded replies make zero sense to anyone. pretty much everyone but you says the same thing. MS was robbed. somehow you think you're so smart to dig beneath the surface and discover something no one else, including the opposing coach and cyclist, saw. lol. you are a tool.mij09-11-2026
- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment