Check out Zoe Bäckstedt's all-new Cannondale SuperSix Evo 4

Specialisation seems to be becoming a thing of the past. Not only are modern riders happy to mix it up between road racing categories but some are happy too to excel across multiple racing disciplines. Zoe Bäckstedt is definitely one of those riders: Jr world road race champion, Jr Time Trial world champion, and a silver medal at the U23 Cyclocross Worlds should give you a decent flavour of what she's capable of.

Comparisons to Tom Pidcock, given both are British too, aren't that much of a stretch. Zoe rides for the EF Education-Tibco-SVB squad for 2023, and we managed to sneak 10 minutes with her bike - the brand new Cannondale SuperSix - at Opening Weekend to bring you a full gallery.

What is Zoe Bäckstedt's bike for 2023?

Bäckstedt, along with the rest of the EF team, will primarily be using the new Cannondale SuperSix Evo 4 this season. We spotted the bike under both the men's and women's EF squads earlier in the season, and were able to bring you a first ride review of the all round racer. It's very much in the same vein as the outgoing SuperSix, but with some improvements to weight and the aerodynamic package.

As ever, certain componentry choices are dependant on the race in question and subject to change, but here, for the start of the Classics season, there's nothing too out of the ordinary, save for her opting for tubular wheels rather than tubeless for a bit of extra safety over the cobbles. 

What size is Zoe Bäckstedt's bike

At 5ft 9in tall, Bäckstedt rides a size 54. Unlike on some pro bikes we've seen, like on Tom Pidcock's bike, there don't seem to have been any great lengths taken to accommodate a particular frame size. No crazy long or short stem, and the saddle is relatively central on the rails.

Zoe Bäckstedt's Cannondale SuperSix Evo 4: Specifications

While the New SuperSix Evo is the top all-around race bike in Cannondale's lineup, it is itself split into three tiers. The 'Carbon', the 'Hi-Mod', and the 'LAB71', in ascending order of bling, each being slightly lighter and stiffer than the last thanks to differences in carbon, resin, and layup. The giant "LAB71" painted on the seat tube may well lead you to believe this is the top-spec frame, but the UCI sticker on the down tube reveals that it is in fact the second-tier Hi-Mod frameset, perhaps due to supply issues of the very top end frames. 

The consumer spec model does ship with a single-piece bar-stem combo, but the team component sponsor, Vision, here provides its Metron 4D aero handlebar. The hoses are routed through wing-shaped bars and under the Cannondale Conceal Stem, before diving inside the head tube of the frame for their internal journey. 

The Vision bars are 400mm wide, and feature exit holes at the rear of the winged uppers to allow for external cable routing, and the rubber bungs on the upper surface near the stem are to directly mount a set of time trial extensions should that ever be required.

The wheels here are also from Vision, a set of Metron 40s, but interestingly they're tubulars with tyres glued directly on, rather than tubeless, which is what we're told the team will use for non-cobbled races. This is just for a bit of extra security over the rough ground, as riding a flat tubular is more feasible than with tubeless or inner tube-based systems. The tyres, too, seem to be fitted with more of an eye on grip rather than out-and-out speed; the Vittoria Corsa Control tyres have a slightly more defined tread and robust casing than the new Corsa Pro, which should aid traction and help prevent flats. 

The drivetrain is a complete Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 setup, save for the chainset, which takes the form of the feathery FSA K-Force Team. A set of 52/36 chainrings take care of power transfer, along with a Shimano M8100 chain. The 'M' denotes that it's for mountain, rather than 'R' for road. The two are cross-compatible, but this may be a chain retention choice, or again simply a supply issue.

Power measurement, while not visible in our images - blame our esteemed Tech Editor Josh for that - comes courtesy of 4iiii. Her computer, a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt, is mounted to a Roam mount, which the team mechanic has deftly chopped the front off of to allow it to take both models of computer. Remember: If it doesn't fit; yes it does!

The finishing touches are a Prologo Dimension saddle, the same as seen on Tadej Pogacar's bike, and Prologo bar tape. Speedplay pedals take care of the third contact point. 

History

Bäckstedt has only been in the WorldTour since 2022, so think of this as the start of what could well be an illustrious "History" section. Two seasons in, and two iterations of the Cannondale SuperSix Evo so far, but we expect to see a lot more in the coming years from the daughter of Magnus Bäckstedt; the 2004 Paris-Roubaix winner.