"She’s at a level that’s definitely beyond her years" - Zoe Bäckstedt ready for start of Cyclocross season in Ardooie

Although having just turned 18 years of age, Zoe Bäckstedt is entering a new Cyclocross season soon and as a leading figure in the under-23 ranks with her new team EF Education-TIBCO-SVB.

The British prodigy will be making her debut in the CX season in the upcoming CX Ardooie on the 20th of October, with a change towards under-23 level. “I’m still racing the exact same people as last year so the start of the season will just be about finding my cyclocross legs and brain and then looking for results as the season goes by," she said in a press release.

After a successful road season, where she dominated the recent World Championships winning both time-trial and road race in the women's junior ranks, she has taken some rest, before eyeing one of her other talents, cyclocross. Last year she won every junior race she took part in, including the European and World Championships, but despite her incredibly young age her success was not limited to the younger ranks, as she won also in Essen alongside the Elites last year.

With a change incoming for this year, she will face tougher competition directly, however she will be a leading figure in the under-23 field - with expected frequent races alongside the Elites where she will go face to face with the world's best.

Her teammate Clara Honsinger had nothing but praise for her new teammate, as she described: “I’m just so impressed with Zoe’s maturity, flexibility, and of course strength and focus towards racing. She’s at a level that’s definitely beyond her years."