After a training crash delayed the start of her cyclocross season, Zoe Bäckstedt will get back in the saddle next week at the eighth round of the UCI World Cup in Dendermonde.
The 21-year-old Welshwoman suffered two fractures in her hand after falling at the end of October, ruling her out of an early start to the 2025-26 cyclocross season.
She announced the news on Instagram, declaring that "my helmet saved my life." Now, her Canyon-Sram zondacrypto team confirmed that she'll race again on December 28, having been cleared to return to training on December 9.
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"The past five or six weeks were tough, mostly because I had to ride on the turbo every day! But at the same time, it made it even more enjoyable when I could ride outside again," Bäckstedt said.
"In general, I feel like I'm in pretty okay shape, all things considered. For sure, the strength around my wrist isn't as good as it used to be, but that's all part of coming back from injury…"
Since Bäckstedt was cleared to return to training, she has been limited to road riding. However, she got back on the cyclocross bike at the weekend in preparation for Dendermonde.
"It feels so good to be back on the cross bike. I was a bit apprehensive about that first session, but in the end it was nothing to worry about!" she said.
"For my first race back, my hopes and expectations are not super high – not in a bad way, but I don't want to put pressure on myself to achieve something that's not realistic. It's been a long six weeks watching everyone else racing, and I just want to be racing with them. So maybe my first few races back are not great, but just give me some time."
After Dendermonde, she'll take on a busy 'kerstperiode' of festive racing, with X2O Trofee rounds at Loenhout (December 29) and Baal (January 1), followed by the Superprestige Gullegem (January 3) and the World Cup in Zonhoven (January 4).
Later in the month, she'll take on the final trio of World Cup meets in Benidorm (January 18), Maasmechelen (January 24) and Hoogerheide (January 25), before heading to Hulst in Belgium for the Cyclocross World Championships on January 30-31.
The reigning under-23 'cross world champion will be aiming at her first World Cup win at the elite level, having scored three podiums last season. The races at Zonhoven and Maasmechelen, where she finished as runner-up last year, will be in her sights.
"After last year, Zonhoven has to be a favourite now, I guess!" Bäckstedt said. "Personally, that felt like one of my best races of the season. And I believe I have some unfinished business in Maasmechelen."
