Zoe Bäckstedt annihilates all opposition and wins European Championships U23 time trial

Bäckstedt nearly a minute faster than second placed Antonia Niedermaier at the finish

Zoe Backstedt
(Image credit: Getty Images)
By Tom Thewlis
published

Zoe Bäckstedt stormed to a resounding win in the female under 23 time trial at the European Championships this afternoon in Drenthe, the Netherlands with a winning time of 24:25.

Coming into the race, the 18-year-old was undoubtedly the favourite to take home the title, and she did it in style putting nearly a minute into Germany’s Antonia Niedermaier who took the runner up spot.

The bronze medal went to Finland’s Anniina Ahtosalo.

Once the racing had got underway, Bäckstedt made light work of her rivals and was half a minute faster than Niedermaier at the first intermediate time check.

Averaging upwards of 48 kilometres per hour, the daughter of former Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Bäckstedt soared around the course and at one point topped 50 kmph leaving the rest of the field with no chance. 

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Tom Thewlis

Tom joined Cycling Weekly in early 2022 and his news stories, rider interviews and features appear both online and in the magazine. 

He has reported from some of professional cycling's biggest races and events including the Tour de France and the recent Glasgow World Championships. He has also covered races elsewhere across the world and interviewed some of the sport's top riders. 

When not writing news scoops from the WorldTour, or covering stories from elsewhere in the domestic professional scene, he reports on goings on at bike shops up and down the UK, where he is based when not out on the road at races. He has also appeared on the Radio Cycling podcast. 

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