A historic World Championships is underway in Rwanda, with all three time trials wrapped and still the Mixed Relay and road races to come.
Monica Kiplagat of Kenya rolls through the course.
Cor Vos
Zoom, zoom…
Thank you for opening this week’s Wheel Talk Newsletter, where I will dive into the U23 World Championship time trial, look back at the elite women’s event on Sunday, and catch you up on the latest transfers. Also, babies!
First things first: Favourite crowned in U23 ITT championships
Going into the U23 time trial on Monday, one favourite stood out – Zoe Bäckstedt. The British rider on Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto is not only one of the best U23 road racers in the world, but also one of the best time triallists on the scene right now. She won the ITT at the Simac Ladies Tour, besting former elite World ITT Champion Ellen van Dijk. Some may have wondered why she didn’t opt for the elite race at the Worlds, but as Dani Rowe pointed out on the TV commentary, sticking to the U23 category was probably the right move for Bäckstedt, a rider with so much weight on her shoulders.
In the end, it wasn’t really a competition for the rest of the U23 riders as Bäckstedt won by almost two minutes on the 22.6 km course. Viktória Chladonová of Slovakia, who rides for Visma-Lease a Bike in the normal season, finished second, and Federica Venturelli of Italy (of UAE’s development team) finished third.
Following in her countrywoman’s footsteps, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden of Australia (and Lidl-Trek) finished fourth, two minutes and 21 seconds down on Backstedt. Alena Ivanchenko, a Russian who rides for UAE Team ADQ but competed at the Worlds as a neutral athlete, rode to fifth.
Most of the top 20 were from WorldTour teams, like Millie Couzens (Great Britain/Fenix-Decuninck) in sixth, Justyna Czapla (Germany/Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) in seventh, and Ava Holmgren (Canada/Lidl-Trek) in 10th, but a few without WWT contracts slipped into the ranks.
Alli Anderson from Australia, who rides for Black Magic p/b Tinelli, had an impressive ride to finish in eighth and Tabea Huys (Austria), who rides for Liv AlUla Jayco’s development team, finished ninth.
Just inside the top 13 was Coop-Repsol/Sweden’s Stina Kagevi.
Bäckstedt’s victory adds to her growing list of world titles across multiple disciplines. The British rider already holds world titles in cyclocross and on the junior side of the road.
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