With a dominant performance on the 22.6 km course, Bäckstedt clocked an impressive 30:56.16, securing not only the gold medal but also the coveted Rainbow Jersey. Her victory marks a milestone in women's cycling as the U23 category was given its own dedicated race for the first time in the event's history.
"I gave it everything I could. My legs didn't feel 100%, so I was just giving everything I could with what I had in the tank today. So I'm really happy to have such a gap at the end," she remarked after her victory.
Reflecting on the challenging course, she remarked: "The cobble climb just before the finish was really brutal, really super hard. I knew it was possible to gain some time there but also to lose time if something went wrong. So I had to make sure I had enough energy left at the end to go up this climb as fast as possible."
The 20-year-old's triumph capped off a remarkable season, adding this prestigious title to her already impressive list of accomplishments, including the 2025 National ITT Championship.
Slovakia's Viktória Chladoňová secured the silver medal with a time of 32:47.01, just 1:50.85 behind Bäckstedt.
Federica Venturelli of Italy rounded out the top three with a solid bronze medal performance, finishing in 33:07.74.
Competing on home turf, Rwandan cyclists Martha Ntakirutimana and Claudette Nyirarukundo also took to the course in the Women's U23 Time Trial. Despite facing a challenging route, both showed incredible resilience and determination. Ntakirutimana finished 27th with a time of 36:27.39, while Nyirarukundo took 32nd place with a time of 37:14.33.
Women Under 23 Individual Time Trial - Top 10 results
1. Zoe Bäckstedt (Great Britain) - 30:56.16
2. Viktória Chladoňová (Slovakia) - 32:47.01 (+1:50.85)
3. Federica Venturelli (Italy) - 33:07.74 (+2:11.58)
4. Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Australia) - 33:17.91 (+2:21.75)
5. Alena Ivanchenko (Australia) - 33:18.60 (+2:22.44)
6. Millie Couzens (Great Britain) - 33:33.74 (+2:37.58)
7. Justyna Czapla (Germany) - 33:43.76 (+2:47.60)
8. Alli Anderson (Australia) - 33:49.22 (+2:53.06)
9. Tabea Huys (Austria) - 33:55.68 (+2:59.52)
10. Ava Holmgren (Canada) - 34:01.92 (+3:05.76)
The championships kicked off on Sunday, September 21, 2025, with both elite men and women showcasing their strength, precision, and determination.
Belgium's Remco Evenepoel set the bar high in the Men's Elite Individual Time Trial, producing a blistering performance that earned him his third Rainbow Jersey in the discipline. His display of power and precision further elevated the stakes for the competitors across all categories.
Meanwhile, Switzerland's Marlen Reusser made history by claiming her first-ever rainbow jersey in the Women's Elite Individual Time Trial, proving her elite status in the sport.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
