Under-23 cyclocross world champion Zoe Bäckstedt will miss the start of the 2025–26 cyclocross season after suffering two fractures to her hand and wrist in a training crash last week.
The 21-year-old Briton, who rides for Canyon SRAM zondacrypto, confirmed the news in an Instagram post that included photos of her bandaged wrist and her severely damaged helmet, which she credited with saving her life.
“October – the highs and lows,” she wrote. “It was a perfect month of training and holidays, but a crash in training yesterday resulted in two small fractures in my hand and wrist. It’s a shame to miss the first races of the season, but give me time and I’ll come back stronger. One thing I know for sure – my helmet saved my life. Thank you Giro Cycling. Wear a helmet, please.”
Bäckstedt had been due to open her cyclocross campaign in mid-November, with early rounds of the X2O Trofee in Lokeren, the Superprestige in Merksplas, and X2O Trofee Hamme. Those races will now come too soon, though she is targeting a return to competition towards the end of November if recovery goes to plan.
The crash brings an abrupt pause to what has been a remarkable rise for Bäckstedt, one of the brightest young talents in world cycling. Combining road and cyclocross for Canyon SRAM zondacrypto, she enjoyed her most successful year yet, winning the British national time trial title, the U23 world time trial championship in Rwanda, and a stage of the Simac Ladies Tour.
In cyclocross, she showed consistency and class among the elites, taking 15 top-10 finishes from 15 starts and finishing fourth overall in the UCI World Cup standings. Her season reached its peak in Liévin, France, where she claimed her second consecutive under-23 world title, winning by 39 seconds ahead of Luxembourg’s Marie Schreiber.
Although her exact recovery timeline remains uncertain, Bäckstedt’s message conveyed both gratitude and determination. The young Briton used her post to stress the importance of helmet safety, highlighting how a moment’s misfortune could have ended much worse.
For now, she will focus on recovery before building back to racing fitness. If her previous resilience is any indication, Zoe Bäckstedt is likely to return stronger than ever – ready to resume her rapid rise at the heart of Canyon SRAM zondacrypto’s growing ambitions.
