Zoe Bäckstedt, one of the most promising young riders in the women’s peloton, has moved to Canyon-SRAM in a mid-season transfer.
The 18-year-old Brit joined EF Education-TIBCO-SVB last August after a stellar junior career that saw her win world titles on the track, in cyclo-cross, and in both the time trial and road races.
However, it was recently announced that EF Education-TIBCO-SVB would be folding at the end of the current season, with SVB collapsing in May, TIBCO withdrawing their support, and EF Education setting up their own separate women’s team.
This meant that the team’s 16 riders were free to choose new teams, and while some have signed contracts for next season with new outfits, Bäckstedt has made the immediate switch to Canyon-SRAM, a team led by Ronny Lauke.
She will join her father, Magnus, who was also a pro cyclist. Her sister, Elynor, 21, has been riding for Lidl-Trek since 2020.
Bäckstedt is a versatile talent who has been hampered by injuries this season and raced only 15 UCI days, but that includes April’s Paris-Roubaix. Her best result is seventh at the recent Tour of Scandinavia in the stage four time trial.
“I’m excited about the opportunities at Canyon-SRAM Racing. I will get to race with a strong squad and have the freedom to race in any discipline I want to as well,” Bäckstedt said in a team press release.
“The team has made a lot of developments in the last year, and you can see that on and off the bike. I really like this; it helped my decision as I like to have a good structure around me.
“I think I will bring to Canyon-SRAM Racing some more good tunes to the pre-race playlist, my love for the sport and just the fact I’m happy to be at a bike race with my teammates.”
Bäckstedt will now start to focus on the upcoming cyclocross season, with her first race the Major Taylor Cross Cup in the USA.
Her former team manager, Linda Jackson, commented: “I am so happy that Zoe found a good home with Canyon-SRAM Racing. Placing Zoe on a new team before the 2023/2024 cyclocross season started was critical to supporting her 2024 World Cyclocross Championships goals.
“While sad about my team’s circumstances that led to this change, I am truly excited to follow her future with Ronny’s team, and I wish her the very best.”
