The remarkable achievement of Zoe Backstedt at the Road World Championships in Montreal is highlighted by her silver medal in the time trial, though she expressed a blend of happiness and a desire for gold. "I have to say I'm happy, but at the same time of course I also came here for a gold medal," she stated, demonstrating both youthful exuberance and maturity beyond her 21 years.

Backstedt, who will celebrate her 22nd birthday soon, has a lineage of cycling greatness. Her father, Magnus Backstedt, is a former professional who won the Paris-Roubaix and a stage of the Tour de France, while her mother, Megan Backstedt, boasts a national title and international competition experience. Her sister, Elynor, shines as a professional cyclist with multiple junior world medals.

Despite initially disliking cycling, Zoe's passion ignited around age 10. She made history at 17 by becoming the youngest winner of a women's elite cycling race in Belgium. By 20, she had amassed nine world titles across various disciplines, including retaining her Junior World Road Race gold in Flanders and winning the time-trial crown the following year.

Zoe's journey hasn't been without challenges; she missed the 2024 Paris Olympics due to illness and faced injuries in 2025. However, her determination shone through as she achieved her ninth professional victory at the Tour de Suisse Femmes in June and successfully defended her elite time-trial title at the British Road Championships. She also won her first British road race title in Aberystwyth and retained the Baloise Ladies Tour title in July.

August marked her debut in the Tour de France Femmes, where she finished an impressive fourth in the time-trial stage, calling it a "goosebumps" moment. With such a promising trajectory, Backstedt is poised for greatness in the cycling world.