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Great Britain’s Zoe Backstedt added one other world title to her spectacular palmares, successful the 2024 UCI Cyclocross World Championships under-23 girls’s race. The 19-year-old received the highway and cyclo-cross titles as a junior and received her first world under-23 crown in Tábor.
Backstedt adopted the quick early tempo set by Marie Schreiber, then took the race on in the course of the opening lap and pulled away from her rivals, as Schreiber struggled.
Cheered on by a house crowd, Czech Republic nationwide champion Kristyna Zemanová received a race-long battle for silver with Dutch lady Leonie Bentveld.
Backstedt, who signed with Canyon Sram final yr, confirmed the energy of her father Magnus and the expertise of her mom Megan as she powered by the Tábor mud.
Her benefit grew to over a minute coming into the ultimate lap and she or he had time to get pleasure from her victory, ultimately wining by 44 seconds.
After taking three elite cyclo-cross World Cup podiums this season Backstedt mentioned that successful the under-23 world title was the ‘icing on the cake’ of her season.
“I’m over the moon,” mentioned Backstedt.
“I used to be just a little nervous coming into this one. It has been a extremely good season and I simply wished to high it off with this.
“I’m so glad that I may do it. I’m head to toe in mud, there have been factors the place you had been nearly stopping on the course into the mud. It simply made it a lot enjoyable.”
How it unfolded
2023 winner Shirin Van Anrooij was absent in Tábor that means {that a} new under-23 girls’ world champion can be topped in entrance of the reported 35,000 cheering followers.
Luxembourg nationwide champion Schreiber took the race on from the opening lap and put her opponents below strain. She was rapidly adopted by fellow pre-race favourites Backstedt and Bentveld, as everybody else fought for place.
Backstedt was undeterred by the quick begin and went side-by-side with Schreiber earlier than taking the lead in the course of the opening half-a-lap as Bentvld slipped again.
An obvious grip downside for Schreiber resulted within the Luxembourg rider falling again behind Bentveld and Zemanová as Backstedt rapidly pulled out a 10-second lead.
Three-time Czech Republic nationwide champion Zemanová was spurred on by her residence crowd and commenced a race-long duel with Bentveld. Ahead of them Backstedt used her energy on the zapping course and her hole grew to 23 seconds after only one lap of racing.
Backstedt received the junior world cyclo-cross title two years in the past in Fayetteville beating Bentveld into second and regarded in superior type on every a part of the Tbor course. Her hole grew to 48 seconds after 19 minutes and two laps of racing.
At the midway level little may separate chasers Bentveld and Zemanová as they continued a tactical battle, with Schreiber an extra 14 seconds behind.
Backstedt was in complete management on the tough Tábor terrain and her benefit grew out to over a minute on the penultimate lap.
Behind Bentveld and Zemanová continued to commerce blows however had the presence of Schreiber and final yr’s junior world champion Isabella Holmgren chasing behind.
Canadian teen Holmgren misplaced time early within the race however confirmed her expertise and her endurance by posting the quickest penultimate lap. That lifted her to inside 30 seconds of the rostrum positions.
On the ultimate lap Backstedt was in a position to cruise in direction of victory. Zemanová used her energy on the muddy climb to lastly pull away from Bentveld in a bid to clinch silver.
A small mistake for the Czech Republic rider allowed Bentveld to shut the hole however then Zemanová bought the hole once more, cheered on by the native supporters.
Backstedt had time to have a good time her victory together with her father Magnus Backstedt as she handed the pit space for the ultimate time and she or he celebrated a dominant victory with an enormous smile and a thumbs up on the line.
Zemanová obtained the loudest cheers as she took the silver medal, 44 seconds down on Backstedt however 11 seconds forward of Bentveld, who took the bronze medal.
Holmgren, who signed for Lidl-Trek final yr with sister Ava, was once more quickest on the ultimate lap passing Schreiber to complete fourth and simply 13 seconds off the rostrum.