Bäckstedt triumphs in Tabor

A fruitful first CX World Cup round for Britain’s young crossers

- James Shrubsall

Zoe Bäckstedt followed up her win at the cyclo-cross European Championships with a World Cup victory in Tabor, Czech Republic, on Sunday.

Leading the junior women’s race from the first lap after attacking hard into a 180° corner, 17-year-old Bäckstedt beat Leonie Bentveld (Netherlands, who won silver at the Euros) by 20 seconds, with Federica Venturelli of Italy finishing third, a further 26 seconds back.

It was the perfect start to her tenure in the European champion’s jersey for Bäckstedt – although she will have to swap it again for the World Cup leader’s jersey when she travels to Namur next month for round two of the series.

It was unclear whether she would make defending it a priority, but as British Cycling’s cyclo-cross coordinator Matt Ellis told CW on Monday: “I think she’s taking each race as it comes, and she just wants to smash everyone, mostly.”