BÄCKSTEDT BLAZES TO PROLOGUE WIN AT BALOISE LADIES TOUR!

In her debut appearance in the British Elite Time Trial champion’s suit, just 2.5 weeks after claiming the title, Zoe Bäckstedt blazed to an exceptional victory in the opening prologue of the UCI 2.1 Baloise Ladies Tour.

At just 3.1 kilometres in length, the course demanded a full-gas, red-line effort from start to finish – a test of raw power, skill, and nerve, crammed with many technical elements. Zoe completed the loop in a slick 4:06 minutes, averaging over 45kph. Her ride was fast enough to beat renowned time triallist Ellen van Dijk (LTK) by two seconds, with top sprinter Charlotte Kool (TPP) just behind in third.

Here’s what Zoe had to say about her feelings after the impressive win:

“I wasn’t expecting it, to be honest! I was looking forward to this starter but had no real expectations. It feels great to pull it off  and although it was only by a small margin, I’m really happy!”

And on how she handled the unique nature of the race:

“Pffff the course… it was so windy and quite technical with six corners in just 3.1km! I’m pleased with how I rode. I think I could have taken a few corners a bit faster, but I wanted to stay cautious. Despite that, I loved the race! The new suit gave me some extra motivation and maybe a bit of extra power out there today. A good debut for the stripes!”

The Baloise Ladies Tour consistently draws a strong field of sprinters, classics specialists, time trialists, and riders who can do a bit of all three. Its well-balanced five-day programme of Belgian-style racing also includes two individual against-the-clock efforts, offering a unique mid-season opportunity. As summer rolls in, it stands out in a calendar otherwise dominated by climbing-heavy stage races.

This evening’s short and snappy prologue took place in Yerseke, the Netherlands – a brief visit before the peloton heads 120km south into Belgium for Stage 1. Tomorrow it’s 127km of flat, fast, exposed terrain, and constant battles for position along a route that twists and turns. A late call-up fresh from the Giro d’Italia Women, Chiara Consonni will be liking her chances to launch a sprint – especially with wind levels likely just low enough to keep the peloton intact. Regardless, the strong six-rider squad lining up for CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto is well-equipped to handle whatever the race throws at them, with added motivation now that Zoe will start the stage in the leader’s jersey.

Whether she’ll be wearing the leader’s jersey or defending her British National Champion’s kit in Saturday’s 10.6km time trial remains to be seen…

HOW TO FOLLOW 

Stage 1 | Thursday, July 17 | Jabbeke – Knokke-Heist | 127km | 250m elevation | Start: 13:30 – Fastest finish: 16:43 CET. LIVE from 15:15.

Stage 2 | Friday, July 18 | Zulte – Zulte | 127km | 622m elevation | Start: 14:00 – Fastest finish: 17:15 CET. LIVE from 15:45.

Stage 3a | Saturday, July 19 | Maldegem – Maldegem | 87.4km | 259m elevation | Start: 10:45 – Fastest finish: 13:11 CET. LIVE from 11:45.

Stage 3b | Saturday, July 19 | Maldegem – Maldegem | 10.6km (TT) | 15m elevation | Start: 17:30 – Fastest finish: 20:34 CET. LIVE from 18:50.

Stage 4 | Sunday, July 20 | Zwevegem – Zwevegem | 127.2km | 923m elevation | Start: 14:00 – Fastest finish: 17:34 CET. LIVE from 15:45.

Live coverage is available on Eurosport, Discovery Plus, TNT Sports and the Pickx livestream. Stay updated on X with #BaloiseLT25, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto’s social channels for the latest team news.