Baloise Ladies Tour: Zoe Bäckstedt powers to win on flat prologue
Briton tops Couzens, Moors in short time trial
Just off the back of a stage win at the Tour de Suisse and double titles at the British Road Championships, Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM) continued her summer success winning the prologue at the Baloise Ladies Tour.
Bäckstedt covered the 3.9km course with a winning time of 4:40 minutes, beating Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech) by five seconds and Fleur Moors (Lidl-Trek) by six seconds.
The 21-year-old will wear the leader's jersey into the second stage, a 112.5km road race from Oostende to Knokke-Heist on Thursday.
The Baloise Ladies Tour gave the women's peloton an excellent event during a rather sparse month of July, and a potential last event before the Tour de France Femmes in August.
The opening stage offered the riders a flat and fast prologue in IJzendijke. The 3.9km race against the clock was fast with Couzens securing one of the first fastest times at 4:45 minutes and then Moors one second slower.
Her time didn't last long as Bäckstedt crossed the finished line with the new benchmark time, bumping her compatriot out of the hot seat with a time of 4:40.
Pre-race favourites Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek), and Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) were no match for the faster times of Bäckstedt, Couzens or Moors, who held the top three spots on the podium for the remainder of the event.
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Results
Position |
Rider (Country) Team |
Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Zoe Bäckstedt (GBr) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto |
4:40:06 |
2 |
Millie Couzens (GBr) Fenix-Premier Tech |
0:00:05 |
3 |
Fleur Moors (Bel) Lidl-Trek |
0:00:06 |
4 |
Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Aus) Lidl-Trek |
0:00:06 |
5 |
Charlotte Kool (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech |
0:00:07 |
6 |
Femke Markus (Ned) SD Worx-Protime |
0:00:08 |
7 |
Sandrine Tas (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:10 |
8 |
Anna Henderson (GBr) Lidl-Trek |
0:00:10 |
9 |
Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime |
0:00:10 |
10 |
Georgia Baker (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco |
0:00:10 |
11 |
Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Volkerwessels |
0:00:11 |
12 |
Erin Boothman (GBr) Liv AlUla Jayco |
0:00:11 |
13 |
Hélène Hesters (Bel) Liv AlUla Jayco |
0:00:12 |
14 |
Marthe Goossens (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal |
0:00:13 |
15 |
Katharina Sadnik (Aut) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:13 |
16 |
Femke Gerritse (Ned) SD Worx-Protime |
0:00:14 |
17 |
Nienke Veenhoven (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:14 |
18 |
Clara Copponi (Fra) Lidl-Trek |
0:00:14 |
19 |
Lauretta Hanson (Aus) Lidl-Trek |
0:00:14 |
20 |
Margaux Vigie (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:14 |
21 |
Maike van der Duin (Ned) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto |
0:00:14 |
22 |
Rose Kloese (Ger) Carbonbike Giordana Sofré by Gen Z |
0:00:15 |
23 |
Scarlett Souren (Ned) Volkerwessels |
0:00:15 |
24 |
Marie Schreiber (Lux) SD Worx-Protime |
0:00:15 |
25 |
Jasmin Liechti (Swi) Nexetis |
0:00:16 |
26 |
Ava Holmgren (Can) Lidl-Trek |
0:00:16 |
27 |
Franziska Brauße (Ger) Rembe | Rad-Net Women |
0:00:17 |
28 |
Marthe Truyen (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech |
0:00:18 |
29 |
Martina Fidanza (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:18 |
30 |
Nika Bobnar (Slo) Nexetis |
0:00:19 |
31 |
Anniina Ahtosalo (Fin) Uno-X Mobility |
0:00:19 |
32 |
Silje Bader (Ned) KDM - Pack Cycling Team vzw |
0:00:20 |
33 |
Wilma Aintila (Fin) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto |
0:00:20 |
34 |
Emilie Alberte Greve (Den) Uno-X Mobility |
0:00:21 |
35 |
Messane Bräutigam (Ger) AG Insurance Soudal Devo Team |
0:00:21 |
36 |
Anne Knijnenburg (Ned) Volkerwessels |
0:00:21 |
37 |
Mia Gjertsen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
0:00:21 |
38 |
Hanna Theys (Bel) De Ceuster - ACROG |
0:00:22 |
39 |
Alli Anderson (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco |
0:00:22 |
40 |
Laura Lizette Sander (Est) Hitec Products-Fluid Control |
0:00:23 |
41 |
Lisa van Belle (Ned) SD Worx-Protime |
0:00:23 |
42 |
Laura Tomasi (Ita) Uno-X Mobility |
0:00:23 |
43 |
Lauren Bates (Aus) Minimax Cycling Team |
0:00:23 |
44 |
Alexandra Manly (Aus) AG Insurance-Soudal |
0:00:23 |
45 |
Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Volkerwessels |
0:00:24 |
46 |
Xenna De Bruyckere (Bel) De Ceuster - ACROG |
0:00:24 |
47 |
Julia Borgström (Swe) Hitec Products - Fluid Control |
0:00:24 |
48 |
Matilde Vitillo (Ita) Liv AlUla Jayco |
0:00:24 |
49 |
Katrijn De Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:24 |
50 |
Joëlle Amélie Messemer (Ger) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto |
0:00:24 |
51 |
Linda Zanetti (Swi) Uno-X Mobility |
0:00:25 |
52 |
Amandine Fouquenet (Fra) AG Insurance-Soudal |
0:00:25 |
53 |
Sterre Vervloet (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:25 |
54 |
Barbara Guarischi (Ita) SD Worx-Protime |
0:00:26 |
55 |
Noémie Thomson (GBr) Das-Hutchinson |
0:00:26 |
56 |
Maria Martins (Por) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto |
0:00:26 |
57 |
Cleo Kiekens (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
0:00:27 |
58 |
Puck Langenbarg (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech Development Team |
0:00:27 |
59 |
Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech |
0:00:27 |
60 |
Marion Norbert Riberolle (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech Development Team |
0:00:27 |
61 |
Anna Bruneel (Bel) AG Insurance Soudal Devo Team |
0:00:27 |
62 |
Oda Aune Gissinger (Nor) Hitec Products-Fluid Control |
0:00:27 |
63 |
Clemence Cousineau (Fra) KDM - Pack Cycling Team vzw |
0:00:27 |
64 |
Viktória Chladoňová (Svk) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:28 |
65 |
Aileen Schweikart (Ger) Rembe | Rad-Net Women |
0:00:28 |
66 |
Antje Valkeneers (Bel) Carbonbike Giordana Sofré by Gen Z |
0:00:28 |
67 |
Helena Bieber (Ger) Carbonbike Giordana Sofré by Gen Z |
0:00:29 |
68 |
Eline van Rooijen (Ned) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
0:00:30 |
69 |
Gladys Verhulst Wild (Fra) AG Insurance-Soudal |
0:00:30 |
70 |
Tsuyaka Uchino (Jpn) Nexetis |
0:00:30 |
71 |
Hannah Kunz (Ger) Rembe | Rad-Net Women |
0:00:30 |
72 |
Tiffany Keep (RSA) Das-Hutchinson |
0:00:31 |
73 |
Meis Poland (Ned) Volkerwessels |
0:00:31 |
74 |
Imogen Wolff (GBr) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:31 |
75 |
Masja Keesman (Ned) Cyclingteam Belco / Van Eyck |
0:00:31 |
76 |
Nina Kessler (Ned) Nexetis |
0:00:32 |
77 |
Bodine Vollering (Ned) Volkerwessels |
0:00:32 |
78 |
Gwen Nothum (Lux) Minimax Cycling Team |
0:00:32 |
79 |
Clara Lundmark (Swe) Minimax Cycling Team |
0:00:32 |
80 |
Britt De Grave (Ned) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
0:00:33 |
81 |
Lea Lin Teutenberg (Ger) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:33 |
82 |
April Tacey (GBr) Hitec Products-Fluid Control |
0:00:33 |
83 |
Francesca Pellegrini (Ita) Uno-X Mobility |
0:00:34 |
84 |
Mizuki Ikeda (Jpn) Nexetis |
0:00:34 |
85 |
Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto |
0:00:34 |
86 |
Annika Liehner (Swi) Nexetis |
0:00:35 |
87 |
Lien Schampaert (Bel) Keukens Redant Cycling Team |
0:00:35 |
88 |
Britt Huybrechts (Bel) Cyclingteam Belco / Van Eyck |
0:00:35 |
89 |
Emmy Pordon (USA) KDM - Pack Cycling Team vzw |
0:00:36 |
90 |
Yonna van Dam (Ned) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
0:00:36 |
91 |
Aliyah Rafferty (Irl) Das-Hutchinson |
0:00:36 |
92 |
Julie Hendrickx (Bel) Carbonbike Giordana Sofré by Gen Z |
0:00:37 |
93 |
Lani Wittevrongel (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:38 |
94 |
Lente Boskamp (Ned) KDM - Pack Cycling Team vzw |
0:00:39 |
95 |
Kamma Bergholt (Den) Hitec Products-Fluid Control |
0:00:40 |
96 |
Loes Sels (Bel) Cyclingteam Belco / Van Eyck |
0:00:40 |
97 |
Femke van Goethem (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
0:00:40 |
98 |
Julie Brouwers (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:40 |
99 |
Carmen van der Veen (Ned) Carbonbike Giordana Sofré by Gen Z |
0:00:40 |
100 |
Emma Duchateau (Bel) Cyclingteam Belco / Van Eyck |
0:00:41 |
101 |
Camilla Rånes Bye (Nor) Minimax Cycling Team |
0:00:41 |
102 |
Ellie Parry (GBr) Das-Hutchinson |
0:00:41 |
103 |
Kaja Rysz (Pol) Hitec Products-Fluid Control |
0:00:43 |
104 |
Nette Coppens (Bel) De Ceuster - ACROG |
0:00:43 |
105 |
Elisa Serné (Ned) KDM - Pack Cycling Team vzw |
0:00:43 |
106 |
Jinse Peeters (Bel) De Ceuster - ACROG |
0:00:43 |
107 |
Zoe Schiess (Swi) Keukens Redant Cycling Team |
0:00:44 |
108 |
Lea Waldhoff (Ger) KDM - Pack Cycling Team vzw |
0:00:45 |
109 |
Dina Scavone (Ita) Carbonbike Giordana Sofré by Gen Z |
0:00:46 |
110 |
Heidi Antikainen (Fin) Minimax Cycling Team |
0:00:47 |
111 |
Margarita Lopez Llull (Spa) Minimax Cycling Team |
0:00:47 |
112 |
Mieke Docx (Bel) Das-Hutchinson |
0:00:49 |
113 |
Falke Kerkhof (Ned) Cyclingteam Belco / Van Eyck |
0:00:50 |
114 |
Julie Stockman (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
0:00:50 |
115 |
Frauke Bruylandts (Bel) Cyclingteam Belco / Van Eyck |
0:00:53 |
116 |
Anna Dubier (Bel) Keukens Redant Cycling Team |
0:00:53 |
117 |
Lisa van Oost (Bel) Keukens Redant Cycling Team |
0:00:53 |
118 |
Agata Kowalska (Pol) Keukens Redant Cycling Team |
0:00:55 |
119 |
Iana Alesia Baltes (Rom) Rembe | Rad-Net Women |
0:00:56 |
120 |
Miriam Gerwig (Ger) Rembe | Rad-Net Women |
0:00:57 |
121 |
Reine Slegers (Bel) De Ceuster - ACROG |
0:01:00 |
122 |
Leani van der Berg (Ned) Keukens Redant Cycling Team |
0:01:01 |
123 |
Rebecca Gariboldi (Ita) De Ceuster - ACROG |
0:01:03 |
Kirsten Frattini has been the Editor of Cyclingnews since December 2025, overseeing editorial operations and output across the brand and delivering quality, engaging content.
She manages global budgets, racing & events, production scheduling, and contributor commissions, collaborating across content sections and teams in the UK, Europe, North America, and Australia to ensure audience and subscription growth across the brand.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
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