Zoé Backstedt Storms to Victory in Kigali to Become UCI Women’s U23 Time Trial World Champion

By Fred Mfuranzima 

Kigali, Rwanda — September 22, 2025: Great Britain’s Zoé Backstedt put on a commanding performance in Kigali on Monday, winning the 2025 UCI Women’s Under-23 Individual Time Trial World Championship. The 20-year-old overpowered the field on the hilly Rwandan course to take the rainbow jersey, adding yet another accolade to her growing list of world titles.

Slovakia’s Viktoria Chladoňová took silver, while Italy’s Federica Venturelli claimed bronze in an event that drew large crowds across the Rwandan capital, hosting the Road World Championships for the first time in Africa.

A Prodigy Turned Champion

Backstedt’s victory in Kigali confirms her reputation as one of cycling’s most versatile and decorated young athletes. Her success story began at the 2021 UCI Road World Championships, where she won gold in the junior women’s road race and silver in the time trial.

In 2022, she returned with dominant form, upgrading her junior time trial silver to gold and successfully defending her junior road race title with a solo victory. That same year, she also captured a world junior title in cyclo-cross and won the Madison at the UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships, giving her a remarkable hat-trick of world titles across three different disciplines.

By 2024, Backstedt had continued her winning streak, claiming first place in the U23 Women’s Cyclo-cross World Championships, before making history in 2025 as part of Great Britain’s mixed team relay victory at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, where she competed in the elite rider slot despite being under-23.

Family of Cyclists

Cycling runs deep in the Backstedt household. Zoé’s father, Magnus Backstedt, is a former Paris–Roubaix winner, while her mother, Megan Hughes, also rode professionally. Her sister, Elynor Backstedt, competes at the highest level as well, making the family one of the sport’s most successful dynasties.

Zoé herself turned professional in 2022 at just 17 years old, signing with UCI Women’s World Tour Team EF Education–Tibco–SVB, and has since been tipped as a future star of the elite women’s peloton.

Kigali’s Historic Moment

Backstedt’s win carries extra significance as it came during the first-ever UCI Road World Championships held in Africa. Rwanda’s vibrant crowds and Kigali’s steep hills provided a unique backdrop to a race that will be remembered not only for its champion but also for its symbolism of cycling’s global expansion.

Reflecting on her victory, Backstedt said:

> “It’s unbelievable to win here in Kigali. The energy from the crowds, the history of racing in Africa—it all made today unforgettable. To wear this jersey again means so much, and it motivates me for what’s ahead.”

With her latest triumph, Zoé Backstedt has now collected world titles across road, cyclo-cross, and track, further cementing her place as one of the sport’s brightest all-round talents.

The Kigali 2025 championships continue this week with the elite men’s and women’s road races still to come, as Rwanda makes history hosting the world’s best cyclists.