"I really enjoy myself and I'm very relaxed" - Zoe Bäckstedt loving life after move to Belgium
Cyclocross
EF Education-TIBCO SVB's 18-year-old sensation, Zoe Bäckstedt has revealed that her recent move to Belgium has done wonders to benefit her career. "I feel at home here."
In an interview with WielerFlits, Bäckstedt explains how a move to the same part of the world where her father, former Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Bäckstedt began his career, has done her a world of good. “Many riders also live in the area. It's easier to live here for the winter and all the classics in the spring,” she says. “In addition to the practical side, I also really feel at home here. When I'm riding around on the Belgian roads, I really enjoy myself and I'm very relaxed.”
The 18-year-old is expected to have a big future in the sport. Whether that will be on the road or in the muddy fields of cyclocross she is yet to decide. "I find it difficult to say if I have more ambitions in road cycling than in cyclocross. I really like the road and enjoy the long hard rides. Cyclocross is something completely different,” the Welshwoman explains.
“Racing in the mud and in the rain and cleaving through the sand is what I like so much. Grinding on the bike, it feels heroic. I have so much fun then. Next year I will race anyway. After that I really don't know. I will decide that next season.”
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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