A frightening end to October has forced rising British star Zoe Backstedt to hit pause on her cyclocross campaign before it even begins, after a crash in training left her with two small fractures in her hand and wrist. The 21-year-old used Instagram to reveal the incident — and to stress that her helmet was crucial in preventing a far more serious outcome.The Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto rider wrote that she had enjoyed “a perfect month of training and ‘holidays’” before the accident, describing it as “a shame to have this outcome and to miss the first races of the season”. She added a stark reminder to fans about safety after thanking her kit supplier: “One thing I know for sure, my helmet saved my life… Wear a helmet, please.”
Setback to a winter campaign she has dominated at U23 level
Backstedt’s enforced break is an early frustration for a rider who has made the autumn-to-winter transition look effortless in recent years. The Welsh talent arrived at the tail-end of 2025 with momentum: U23 world time trial champion, British national time trial champion, and Baloise Ladies Tour overall winner in her most complete road season to date. On the track and in cyclocross she has already banked multiple U23 world titles, and last winter she played a key role in Britain’s elite mixed relay world championship success.
Those accomplishments — plus a breakthrough WorldTour stage win at the Simac Ladies Tour in 2024 and another ITT stage victory this September — had positioned her as one of the sport’s most versatile young names heading into the CX season. But with two fractures to protect, the opening block of races will now pass her by.
Still, this is an athlete who has made resilience part of her reputation. Backstedt’s Instagram post ended with determination rather than disappointment: she promised fans that with time, she will “come back stronger”.
For now, the priority is recovery — and delivering a message every rider can take to heart: when training or racing, always wear a helmet.