After being left with a fractured wrist after crashing in training a month ago, Zoe Bäckstedt is now far enough down the recovery path that she can contemplate the possibility of a return to racing this year before the cyclocross season is over.
Last year the rider, who also races on the road with Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto, had already got her cyclocross season underway early in November and she was on track with a build that ultimately culminated in her claiming the U23 rainbow jersey.
This year it is going to be a later start for the 21-year-old but as she said at the time "setbacks are made to be overcome, and I’m sure I’ll be able to come back stronger from this". It looks like the journey back is now well on the way.
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"My wrist is healing well, I’m on the bike but turbo only which is driving me crazy but that’s life," said Bäckstedt in a post on social media. "Hopefully after my next check up I can train outside and get the all clear to start thinking about racing again!"
Bäckstedt is certainly not the only rider who has had to make a late start due to injury, with Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) returning from a knee injury on Sunday at Flamanville and making it a solid return with a third place. The British rider however warned earlier in November that maybe the expectations shouldn't be too high for the first few race, "but I think once I find my rhythm again, it’ll be all good.”
Last year Bäckstedt not only won the Under 23 World Championships at the age of 20 but also came fourth overall in the Women's Elite category of the World Cup and was the first U23 rider after racing every World Cup round.
Two of the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup races for 2025/2026 have already taken place and there are six more through December and four in January. The earlier December races might be off the table but it sounds like there is hope for the two in the final week of this month, Gavere on December 26 and Dendermonde on December 28.
"If all goes well I’ll be back around the end of the year," said Bäckstedt. "Keep your fingers crossed for me."
