British road champion Zoe Backstedt is set to compete in the Tour de France Femmes for the first time. The 21-year-old Welsh cyclist has shown strong form for Canyon-SRAM and will serve as a key teammate for Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney during her campaign for a second overall victory. The race begins on August 1 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Backstedt recently enjoyed a highly successful month, capturing national titles in both the time trial and road race. She also secured a sprint stage victory at the Tour de Suisse Femmes and successfully defended her Baloise Ladies Tour title, having originally won it as the race’s youngest champion last year.
Cycling is deeply ingrained in the Backstedt family legacy. Her father, Magnus, competed in the Tour de France seven times, famously winning a stage during his first appearance. Her mother, Meg, is a former British road race champion, and her sister, Elynor, currently rides professionally for UAE Team ADQ. Reflecting on her path, Zoe noted that while their parents allowed them to explore various sports, cycling was the natural outcome for the siblings.