'I'm looking forward to seeing what my maximum speed was' – Zoe Bäckstedt smashes under-23 time trial to win gold at UCI Road World Championships

Zoe Bäckstedt thundered to her first under-23 road world title on Monday, winning the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda.

The Brit, a three-time junior road world champion, won by 1:50 ahead of Slovakia's Viktória Chladoňová, averaging 43.8kph over the 22.6km course.

So dominant was Bäckstedt's effort, that she caught and passed two riders on her way to victory: Julia Kopecký (Czech Republic), who started 1:30 ahead of her, and Marie Schreiber (Luxembourg), who had a 3:00 head start.

Beyond the finish line, the 20-year-old fell in a heap on the floor, empty after the course's final cobbled climb. She has now won her last five races against the clock, and nine rainbow jerseys, split across road, track and cyclo-cross disciplines.

"I was of course nervous before the start. I think that's natural in one of these championship events," Bäckstedt said afterwards.

Those nerves began to subside when, before even the halfway mark, she overtook Kopecký, a fellow WorldTour-level rider.

At the first time check, the Brit posted the fastest time by 16 seconds. She then grew her lead to 34 seconds by the second, which fell between the course's two climbs.

"Those two climbs that we had to do just zapped your legs completely," Bäckstedt said. "I have to say, it was quite fun on that downhill going super quick. I’m looking forward to seeing what my maximum speed was in that one.

"Hearing that I was up at the first time check, only by 16 seconds, I thought, 'Ok it's possible to lose that on the last climb.' But I just kept pushing as hard as I could on the section in between."

Waiting in the hot seat for Bäckstedt's arrival, Chladoňová had drawn out her lead on the closing climb: the Côte de Kimihurura (1.3km at 6.3%). The Brit, too, ploughed into the cobbles, passing Schreiber with 1km to go, and charging in victory to the line.

Having decided not to take part in the under-23 road race, Bäckstedt will now leave Rwanda with a rainbow jersey. In fact, this year's Road World Championships mark the third of the 20-year-old's career, at each of which she has won at least one title: the junior road race in 2021, and the junior road race and time trial in 2022.

"It means a lot," Bäckstedt said of her latest exploit. "Hopefully next time I can try out for the elites."

The bronze medal was won by Italy's Federica Venturelli.

Results

Women's under-23 individual time trial, Kigali > Kigali (22.6km)

1. Zoe Bäckstedt (Great Britain) in 30:56
2. Viktória Chladoňová (Slovakia), +1:50
3. Federica Venturelli (Italy), +2:11
4. Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Australia), +2:21
5. Alena Ivanchencko (Individual Neutral Athlete), +2:22
6. Millie Couzens (Great Britain), +2:37
7. Justyna Czapla (Germany), +2:47
8. Alli Anderson (Australia), +2:53
9. Tabea Huys (Austria), +2:59
10. Ava Holmgreen (Canada), +3:05