Bäckstedt blows away competition

Welsh rider wins under-23 women's time trial in dominant fashion to take ninth world title

- By Adam Becket

Before Monday, Zoe Bäckstedt had ridden four individual time trials this season, and she had won all four. The 20-year-old is one of the best time triallists in the peloton, and so went into the under-23 women's time trial at the Road World Championships as the overwhelming favourite.

Favourites don't always win, however. Cycling is full of opportunities for misfortune. There could have been a puncture, a problem adjusting to the Rwandan climate, or an off-day. Thankfully, there wasn't.

Bäckstedt took her fifth time trial victory in a row, storming to the rainbow bands by almost two minutes. Viktória Chladoňová of Slovakia finished second, 1.51 behind, with Italy's Federica Venturelli in third, 2.11 behind the winner. Bäckstedt averaged 43.832kph over the 22.6km course, faster than the elite winner, Marlen Reusser (Switzerland), although that was over a longer course. Millie Couzens finished sixth, meaning GB had two riders in the top 10.

So dominant was Bäckstedt's ride that she caught and passed two others: Julia Kopecký (Czech Republic), who started 1.30 minutes ahead of her, and Marie Schreiber (Luxembourg), who had a 3.00 minute head start.