Zoe Bäckstedt continues her domination of junior category with win at Namur Cyclocross World Cup

Zoe Bäckstedt continued her unbeaten run in the junior cyclocross category this season, comfortably taking the victory at the UCI World Cup round in Namur, Belgium, on Sunday.

The 17-year-old has now won all four of her junior races this winter, whilst also stepping up to the elite ranks and registering top 10 finishes.

In Namur, Bäckstedt finished more than a minute ahead of the next fastest rider, the Netherlands' Leonie Bentveld, after the Brit broke away from her rivals to solo away to victory.

Bäckstedt remains the leader in the World Cup for her category, having now won both of the two rounds that have taken place for the junior women so far, victorious in Tabor nearly a month ago, Bentveld second that day also.

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Three rounds of the World Cup remain for the junior women, in Dendermonde on Box Day in a week's time, before Flamanville on January 16 and Hoogerheide on January 23.

Bäckstedt has also raced in the elite women's ranks this season, finishing around 20th place in three senior World Cup rounds at Zonhoven, Overijse and Koksijde, while taking two top 10 placings at Telenet Superprestige Ruddervoorde and the Telenet Superprestige Boom.

In the elite men's competition, Tom Pidcock was bested by Michael Vanthourenhout, the only Brit amongst six other Belgians in the top seven, while Lucinda Brand came out on top in the elite women's event, the best of an all-Dutch top five.

Result

UCI World Cup - Namur - Junior Women

1. Zoe Bäckstedt (GBr), in 37-02
2. Leonie Bentveld (Ned), at 1-11
3. Valentina Corvi (Ita), at 1-27
4. Monique Halter (Sui), at 1-33
5. Lauren Molengraaf (Ned), at 1-36
6. Eliska Hanáková (Cze), at 2-14
7. Ava Holmgren (Can), at 2-28
8. Katerina Hladiková (Cze), at 2-46
9. Federica Venturelli (Ita), at 2-54
10. Jana Glaus (Sui), at 3-04