Zoë Bäckstedt postpones cyclo-cross after “life-threatening” training crash: “Please wear a helmet”
Cyclocross
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Follow us on GoogleZoë Bäckstedt has endured a tough week. The 21-year-old Briton from CANYON//SRAM rounded off a strong road campaign and looked set to make waves among the elite in cyclo-cross. That plan is on hold for now after what she describes as a life-threatening training crash.
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Bäckstedt is no stranger to cycling fans, having broken through as a teenager on road, track and in the mud. Year after year she confirmed the hype, with world titles in cyclo-cross at junior level (2022) and U23 (2024 and 2025), and—on the road—her first elite win in 2024 in the Simac Ladies Tour time trial.
In 2025 she stepped up again on the road: she won the British ITT title, then took three stages and the overall at the Baloise Ladies Tour. After finishing fourth at the Simac Ladies Tour, she headed to Rwanda and became U23 world time trial champion—closing her road season there.
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Bäckstedt on her way to her World Promises title in the time trial in Rwanda
Bäckstedt worked hard toward cross season, until she fell rock hard
After a brief reset she went back to work for the cross season. Training in British rain and sunny mountains alike, everything was on track—until Friday’s heavy fall. “A perfect month of training and ‘holidays’” she wrote on Instagram.
The crash left her with two small fractures in her hand and wrist, forcing a pause. “It’s a shame to have this outcome and to miss the first races of the season but give me time and I’ll come back stronger. One thing I know for sure, my helmet saved my life. Thank you Giro", she mentioned her helmet-brand. The message was clear: this helmet made the difference.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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- How did Mathieu van der Poel miss the list? His classics results surely put him in the conversation.sprocketspiny05-11-2026
- McNulty deserves more credit than his ranking suggests. A world title and all that work as a domestique make for a superb season.tourdeforce905-11-2026
- Seixas winning Lombardia at 20 is astonishing. The “next Pogačar” label feels a bit premature, though—let him build his own story before piling on the comparisons.andrewf05-11-2026
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- I’m still learning the calendar: is cyclocross mainly preparation for the spring classics, or does he race it as a separate goal as well? I’d love to see him back in the mud.jeremya04-11-2026
- The article makes it sound as if Roubaix is the only classic where he has a realistic shot. He’s been close in Flanders too, and one good tactical day can change everything.jennifer1904-11-2026
- Milan-Sanremo and Roubaix is a pretty special pair of Monuments. Any clues yet on which cyclocross races he’ll target?andrewf04-11-2026
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- That Roubaix win felt like such a release after all the near-misses. Brilliant to hear that joy outweighed relief for Wout.patriciaw04-11-2026