BÄCKSTEDT SETS WINNING STANDARD IN EXTREMADURA TIME TRIAL OPENER

Zoe Bäckstedt powered through challenging, demoralising conditions to claim victory in the stage 1 time trial of Vuelta a Extremadura.

After finally charging down the start ramp just after 16:00 as one of the final riders, Zoe was pleased to get the time trial behind her, and to take the win along the way.

“I’m really happy with it. It was a super hard time trial and a really long day of waiting around. We arrived for a recon at 12:00, but then it started raining, so we spent most of the afternoon sitting in the camper or the cars. To eventually come out on top – I’m really happy.”

After an impressive start to her road season at UAE Tour Women, where she placed third in the opening stage bunch sprint and finished second overall in the youth classification, today offered Zoe her first opportunity in the discipline where she is most formidable.

Persistent rain and battering winds set the tone for this crucial yet rather gloomy time-trial afternoon; Zoe shared her perspective on how it unfolded.

“Basically, when we arrived, we took the cars and checked the course – taking some notes and seeing what was out there. It was quite a boring time trial – just one road out, a small triangle for a U-turn, and then a left turn onto a small climb that actually felt pretty big, before rolling to the finish.”

“After that, the day was just about trying to keep ourselves entertained and not completely switching off. I did a little sudoku, we had some nice eye masks on – just to make ourselves a bit more glamorous. It’s quite easy to switch off and feel like the day is done, but then all of a sudden the time comes to get on the bike and warm up, and you’ve got to be really focused.”

Time trials are always a special test of mental strength and composure, and today’s weather added another layer of difficulty. Zoe covered the 18.4km course in 24:30, and gave a frank account of the ride.

“It was just awful, you know? Such bad weather. From the start, I just felt cold, and my legs were feeling really cold during the race. At one moment, I was wishing that I’d put heat rub on, as that probably would have helped a little bit. My hands were cold too, but when they’re not moving in a time trial and the first 8km is downhill, it’s quite easy to get colder than you expect.”

“All in all, the worst part was just the rain and pushing through it on slippery Spanish roads. There was a big, super-fast downhill with two speed bumps just before a corner, so that was a moment to ride a little more cautiously. Maybe I lost a couple seconds, but I gained more by staying upright. For sure, on a different day, I probably could have done more power, pushed harder, and my cornering… everything could have been better! But, you have to deal with the conditions on the day, so in the end, I’m super happy with my ride.”

Courtesy of a decisive stage 1 time trial victory, Zoe now leads the Vuelta a Extremadura general classification, holding a 12-second advantage over Chapman and 17 seconds over Squiban (both UAD). At just 21 years old, she also sits atop the young riders classification, 20 seconds clear of Coupland (LIV).

Racing continues for two more days in Extremadura, on Spain’s far south-western edge. Saturday’s gently rolling profile is likely to favour a bunch sprint, where the team can also call on the explosive strengths of Chiara Consonni alongside Zoe. Finishing seventh in the time trial, 36 seconds adrift of Zoe, Antonia Niedermaier is nicely poised to challenge for general classification success on Sunday’s mountainous finale.

The team’s focus isn’t solely on Spain for Saturday; a strong squad is in Italy, readying themselves for a gritty battle on Tuscan roads at the spectacular Strade Bianche.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Stage 2 – Vuelta a Extremadura | Stage 2 | Sat, March 7 | 133km | 1167m elevation | Start 12:30 CET – fastest finish 15:31.

Strade Bianche | 1.WWT | Sat, March 7 | 132.8km | 2606m elevation | Start 10:15 CET – fastest finish 13:49.