'I don't want to jump too early into elite' - Zoe Bäckstedt explains decision to compete for under-23 title at Cyclo-cross World Championships

Twenty-year-old Zoe Bäckstedt has said she wants to continue enjoying competing in the under-23 ranks before stepping up to the elites at the UCI World Cyclo-cross Championships.

The Brit, the current under-23 world champion, will defend her title this Sunday at the event in Liévin, France.

Bäckstedt goes into the race as the best ranked under-23 rider in the world, having just won her age category overall at the UCI World Cup. She is also ranked fourth in the UCI elite standings, but is not tempted to make the jump just yet.

"I have my whole career to race elite,” the 20-year-old said. “Once I move up, I can’t go back. So if that means staying in under-23 this year and next year to hold onto the category for a little longer, then so be it.

“I don’t want to jump too early into elite and potentially regret my decision, so I decided this year that I will battle for the under-23 title. It’s going to be super-tough and super-close racing, but I’m really excited to push for that title again and see what I can do."

If Bäckstedt were to race in the elite category, she would be the youngest rider in the field by two years. Still, it is not uncommon for 20-year-olds to compete among the elites – Fem van Empel, the reigning world champion, won her first elite rainbow jersey at 20.

Bäckstedt will line up alongside three other Brits – Cat Ferguson, Imogen Wolff and Ella Maclean-Howell – in the under-23 race, for which she is the outright favourite to win.

"Of course, it’s a big race, and there’s a lot more at the end of it, but at the same time, it’s just another bike race,” she said. “You have to think of it as another fun day on the bike and go out to really just enjoy it. If you focus too much on it being Worlds, the pressure can get to you."

There will be no British representation in the elite women’s race at this year’s Cyclo-Cross World Championships. According to British Cycling, this is because no riders met the criteria for selection, except for Bäckstedt.

“We select riders who have the best chance of performing at World Championship level or gaining valuable and positive development experience,” a spokesperson from the national squad said.

“In this case, in the elite women and under-23 men’s categories, there were no riders who met these objectives strongly enough to be selected.”

Bäckstedt’s under-23 title defence is scheduled for 12:05 GMT (13:05 CET) on Sunday 2 February. Other contenders in the event include Luxembourg’s Marie Schreiber, who finished a close second in the under-23 World Cup rankings, and Dutchwoman Leonie Bentveld, last year’s bronze medallist.

Bäckstedt is also down to compete for Great Britain in this Friday’s mixed relay event, alongside Ferguson, Thomas Mein, Milo Wills and recently minted junior national champions Oscar Amey and Zoe Roche.