Britain's Zoe Backstedt wins junior women's world cyclo-cross race, Joran Wyseure wins men's under-23 event

Updated 29/01/2022 at 22:26 GMT

Great Britain enjoyed a win at the UCI world cyclo-cross which is being held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in the United States this weekend. The women's junior event was won by Briton Zoe Backstedt, who led from the first lap and extended her dominance on every lap. The men's under-23 event was won by Belgium's Joran Wyseure.

Zoe Backstedt

Image credit: Getty Images

Britain’s Zoe Backstedt won the junior women’s UCI world cyclo-cross, with Joran Wyseure leading a Belgian men's under-23 triumph.

Taking the lead on the first lap, Backstedt extended her advantage throughout the five-lap event as she demonstrated why she was the heavy favourite ahead of the race.

Her nearest challenger, Dutch rider Leonie Bentveld came in second, while fellow Netherlands competitor Lauren Molengraff took third place.

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Backstedt, who was initially joined in the attack by team-mate Ella Maclean-Howell, took the lead at the Centennial Park climb, and while the gap grew between Bentveld and the chasing pack, she could not get close to the race winner, who won by almost 20 seconds.

"It's pretty special, I've targeted this rainbow jersey in cyclo-cross since last season when it was cancelled in Belgium. I think the fire from having that race cancelled was going into today's race," Backstedt said after her win.

"When I have fun, I do well.

The whole course I absolutely loved it. I came here yesterday and the descent was a lot slippier yesterday than it was today so I came into that and was not as confident as I could be. But I went out this morning and it was frozen - it was perfect conditions.

Belgium took a clean sweep of the top three spots in the men's under-23 race on Saturday, with Wyseure taking victory. The winner grew into the race as he led from the first lap, adding to his advantage with every subsequent lap.

Second place went to compatriot Emiel Verstynge who pulled away with two laps remaining, while Thibau Nys completed the hat-trick. Britain's Cameron Mason finished fifth.

“I want to try the whole race at my own tempo. It was enough for the win,” Wyseure explained after the race. “It’s really nice that we have three Belgian guys on the podium. It’s phenomenal, and I’m really happy.”

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