Great Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt is being looked at as the favorite for the under-23 women’s time trial at the Road World Championships in Rwanda, and has the confidence to go with the external expectations.
Bäckstedt,formerly the junior world champion in both the TT and road race,will take on the inaugural standalone women’s under-23 time trial in Kigali on Monday,as the women’s age category is raced as a separate event for the frist time ever.
Previously, the U23 title was awarded to the best U23 finisher in the elite race, with no separate distance, course or quote allocations.
This year, however, after three years of the ‘race within a race’ scenario, the under-23 women will take on a slightly shorter course, and properly battle between themselves.
Winner of four time trials already this season, including the British national title and a WorldTour win, Bäckstedt is hoping to add a rainbow jersey to her 2025 haul.
“That’s the goal, I would really love to be able to do that,” she said, speaking a few days before the race. “But you never really know what’s going to happen on a course like this, with also the altitude to think about. I think that’s going to be a big part. And also the travel, it’s a long flight before, so who knows how your body is going to react compared to, say, doing it in Belgium or on a home course or something like that.
“I would like to upgrade [her junior titles] to under-23, if it’s possible, for sure I’m going to give it 200% to try and go for that gold medal, but we’ll see on the day.”## Bäckstedt Confident Heading into Inaugural UCI World Championships Time Trial in Rwanda
Lizzie Bäckstedt enters the first-ever UCI Road World Championships held on African soil with a strong sense of confidence, bolstered by recent successes in time trial events. While acknowledging that past performance doesn’t guarantee victory, the British cyclist feels well-prepared and hopes to peak at the right time for Monday’s inaugural event in Kigali.
### Recent Time Trial Successes Fuel Confidence
Bäckstedt attributes her optimism to a series of strong performances leading up to the World Championships. She highlighted the meaning of these rides, stating, “It makes me super confident for it, I would say.” While acknowledging the prologue at the[[Baloise Ladies Tour]was short, she emphasized her growing comfort and skill on the time trial bike.She also pointed to her victory at the British national Time Trial Championships as especially valuable planning. “Nationals was also a super nice course,some technical descending in there as well,some nice climbing,giving a bit of what it’s going to be like for the upcoming Worlds,” she explained. The variety of courses – technical,fast-flowing,and challenging climbs – has provided her with a well-rounded base for the demands of the Kigali course.
### Preparing for the Challenge in Kigali
Now in Rwanda, Bäckstedt understands that previous successes don’t automatically translate to a win. She remains focused on her preparation and hopes to deliver her best performance. “I hope I’m in peak condition,” she said. “The last weeks of training have been good, so we will only find out on the day I think.”
The UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda represent a landmark moment for cycling, bringing the event to Africa for the first time. The competition, running from February 21-25, will see athletes compete for the coveted rainbow jerseys.
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