Silver medalist Zoe Bäckstedt proves she belongs with the Eilte Women at the World Championships: 'Okay, maybe it’s possible'

For Backstedt, it was definitely a great day in Montreal. “It’s really cool. This is my first world championship at the elite level, even though I’m actually still eligible to race in the under-23 category. So yeah, it’s really fantastic to win the silver medal here.”

"It was awesome to get the chance to do this. It was a really nice course; there were a few bumpy spots due to the road surface, but overall it was a lot of fun. And it was also really cool to be able to drive a few laps on the Formula 1 track,” said Backstedt, holding a can of Red Bull in front of her.

With her cyclocross background, Backstedt posted the fastest split time at checkpoint one. “That section was really fun!” The turns were very tight. Through my earpiece, I got good instructions from the team director in the car, such as: ‘This turn is wide as you enter it, but then it cuts off sharply.’ I think I took the turns well.”

"At first, it might have felt a little slow because your heart rate is immediately sky-high. You don't panic, but you're instantly in race mode. Staying focused with such a high heart rate and consistently choosing the ideal line isn’t easy, but I made the most of it. I really enjoyed it,” she said.

"In the first half, I actually believed I could win when I heard the first split times. I thought to myself: Okay, maybe it’s possible. But I also knew that Marlen is incredibly strong and has tremendous stamina. I knew there was a good chance she’d make up a lot of time on me, and she did. So yes, I have a tremendous amount of respect for her,” said Backstedt, who herself comes from a cycling family: her father Magnus even won Paris–Roubaix.

"I don't live close to them anymore, but we talk every day on WhatsApp and call each other a lot. The most important thing is that they're there as family—a warm, familiar voice to talk to. I also talk a lot with my sister (Elynor, who races for UAE, ed.). I chat and laugh with her a lot, which helps take my mind off racing for a bit. Just like I do with Femke!"

Straight after the British rider’s silver medal in the World Championship time trial, she called her girlfriend Femke Beuling right away, as she shared on social media. We asked Backstedt about that in Montreal, too. “She’s the first person I want to talk to after a race,” the proud medalist replied.

"I wanted to call her right away and see her face. It's so wonderful to hear her reaction, share my emotions with her, and be happy together. While I was doing my hair and getting ready for the ceremony, we were chatting away on FaceTime. That’s truly one of the best moments,” said Backstedt.