"If she wants to win, there's very little to be done about it" - Leonie Bentveld impressed by Zoe Backstedt's level
Cyclocross
Leonie Bentveld finished third in the U23 race of the cyclocross World Championships, losing the silver medal to Kristýna Zemanová in final lap. However, the Dutch was satisfied with her bronze medal afterwards.
"In the last lap I had to let Zemanová go in the battle for second place. I can be satisfied with my third place," Bentveld told WielerFlits. "I think I rode technically better, I closed the gap in the corners. But she was stronger on power. She is of course a year older. I think that made the difference on the last lap."
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The rainbow jersey went to Zoe Backstedt, who was not even remotely challenge for the victory. Did Bentveld expect a little more struggle? "Not really. Zoe can also ride championships and of course she knows how to work towards this, she has enough experience. If she wants to win here, you know she will be in good shape at the start. Then there was very little that could be done about it today."
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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.
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