Zoe Bäckstedt wrapped up the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup U23 Overall title after finishing as the top U23 rider and 6th in the elite field at the final round in Hoogerheide.

“I’m satisfied with how it went in Hoogerheide,” Zoe said. “Of course, I would have loved to have gone better and equalled the result from Saturday in Maasmechelen, but my body took a few hits in the processing of fighting for that win, and yesterday was not the day for me. Sixth in the end, but I’m still super happy with how the whole weekend went.”

Having led the standings since round two in Dublin, Zoe’s exceptional consistency throughout the season has been a key to her success. She never finished outside the top 10 across all 15 races, with 8 of those results placing her in the top 5.

Despite this, her lead in the U23 classification was never secure, as she faced stiff competition from Marie Schreiber (SDW). After Schreiber’s victory in round 4, she briefly regained the lead, forcing Zoe to trail for two rounds. Zoe then gradually clawed back into the lead, but it was never a comfortable margin, making the overall win that much sweeter.

“It means a lot to win the U23 overall. It’s actually my first overall World Cup series win. I won the first-ever junior race in the Czech Republic, but the overall of that was just one day. So technically, this is my second, but my first big one. It gives me a lot of confidence for Worlds next week and also for the next season.”

As the defending U23 world champion, Zoe now sets her sights on retaining her title at the 2025 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Liévin, France – just 60 km from her home in Belgium. Despite the stakes, she remains focused and composed.

“I wouldn’t say my mentality is different. Of course, it’s a big race, and there’s a lot more at the end of it, but at the same time, it’s just another bike race. You have to think of it as another fun day on the bike and go out to really just enjoy it. If you focus too much on it being Worlds, the pressure can get to you.”

While her performances this season suggest she could compete for the elite world title, Zoe has opted to stay in the U23 category for another year, and take on a competitive field of 47 riders.

“I have my whole career to race elite. Once I move up, I can’t go back. So if that means staying in U23 this year and next year to hold onto the category for a little longer, then so be it. I don’t want to jump too early into elite and potentially regret my decision, so I decided this year that I will battle for the under 23 title. It’s going to be a super tough and super close racing, but I’m really excited to push for that title again and see what I can do.”

HOW TO FOLLOW

The 2025 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships will be broadcast live on the UCI YouTube channel, and can also be found on Sporza, NOS, FloBikes, Eurosport, Discovery+ and Max – region dependent.

Zoe will compete in the Mixed Team Relay at 12:35PM CET on Friday, January 31, followed by the U23 Women’s race at 1:05PM CET on Sunday, February 2.

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