Zoe Bäckstedt, rising star of the time trial and outsider in the 4th stage of the women’s Tour de France
Zoe Bäckstedt, 21, the under-23 world time trial champion, will be one of the main outsiders behind the favorite Marlen Reusser today Tuesday, during the time trial between Gevrey-Chambertin and Dijon, the 4th stage of the Tour de France women’s race with Zwift.
With her mischievous grin, Zoe Bäckstedt strolls through the peloton, a lightning bolt dangling from each ear, ” this earrings is given to her by my girlfriend ,” like a harbinger of the lightning she’s about to unleash this Tuesday in the time trial between Gevrey-Chambertin and Dijon (21 km). The British rider, under-23 world time trial champion and four-time winner this season, has already established herself as a true specialist in the solo sport effort.
The multiple junior cyclo-cross world champion is competing in her first Tour de France at 21 years, ” a huge deal for her, form the family ,” says her father, Magnus, winner of Paris-Roubaix in 2004, who is also present at the Tour as a sports director for Human Powered Health. ” And especially for my wife, who was a cyclist (Megan Hughes, British champion in 1998), back when there wasn’t a Tour de France, ” continues the Swede. ” The time trial is Zoe’s specialty, even though she’s already performing well in sprints and on climbs, like at the Tour of Flanders (5th this spring) . ” On Friday, the day before the Grand Départ, and two days before achieving her first top-10 finish in the Geneva sprint (7th), the Canyon//SRAM rider reflected on her relationship with the Tour and time trials.
“This is your fourth season as a pro, but only your first Tour de France. Wouldn’t you have liked to have competed in it earlier?
Yes, I would have loved to have ridden it earlier before now. But I just wasn’t fit enough those previous times to be on the team. Last year, I was a reserve ridder. But this time, with this time trial, it’s great to be in the selection!”
What does the Tour de France mean to you? Did your father talk about it a lot?
Yes of course. Obviously, I know he won a stage in his very first Tour de France in a year (1998), which is super cool. I’d love to be able to do the same! But I don’t have many memories of watching it on TV. I have more memories of Paris-Roubaix, a race that’s in my blood, which I’ve watched every year. But of course all my plans is to make lots of memories at the Tour!
Did you know that Autun, the town where your father won his only Tour de France stage, is located not far from the time trial course, about 80 km away from here?
Ah, that’s so interesting! So it’s the “Bäckstedt” region! I hope that’s a good presage.
Your team’s goal is to achieve the best possible result with Kasia Niewiadoma ( 8th overall before stage 4 ). And you personally are aiming for that time.
Yes, I’d really like to get a good result. I don’t know if it will be a top 10, a top 5, a podium, but it doesn’t matter. We’ll have to see how my body reacts after three days of racing competition.
How many times have you recognized this route?
Only twice, because I have a very good memory. So I could probably describe the entire route to you because i can remember. There are also all the videos if needed. Above all, I can rely on all my notes and my recollections.
So what do you think of the course? Does it suit you?
Of cause yes think so. But as I’ve already told you before, it will all depend on my legs on the fourth day of the race. They could be terrible or fantastic.
Why do you love this discipline so much?
I don’t know. But strangely enough, I think it’s related to cyclocross. It’s also a challenge against yourself. Simply put, it’s about giving it your all for as long as possible, or over a set distance. And that feeling of being able to push yourself to the end of the race, to the point where you can no longer stand after the finish line, I love that. I love that pain.
