January 29/22 12:12 pm - Canada Gets 2 in Top-10 Junior Women at CX Worlds

Posted by Editoress on 01/29/22
 

Pre-race favourite Zoe Backstedt (GBr) took the first world title awarded at the Cyclo-cross world championships in the Junior women's race on Friday; she is also the reigning Junior Road world champion. Canada had two riders in the top-10, with Holmgren sisters Ava and Isabella finishing seventh and eight, respectively. They were the only North American riders to finish in the top-10.

Despite testing positive for COVID in early January and missing some racing, Backstedt had no problem riding away from the field on the first lap, at the main climb. Ava Holmgren was part of a group of five that chased in the opening laps, but steadily lost ground to Backstedt.

On Lap 3, Leonie Bentveld (Ned) opened a gap on the other chasers, while Ava was gapped on the climbs. Ava hovered within ten seconds for a lap, but then started to fall further back, eventually riding alone in seventh. On Lap 4, a second Dutch rider, Lauren Molengraaf, broke away from the chase group to take possession of third. The race would finish in this order.

"I've had a pretty good season on the road and in 'cross this year," said Backstedt. "I was unlucky with the World Cup and Nationals to have COVID, but I think ultimately it made me fight back stronger and come here and put that extra little bit of fire into my race. I was speaking to my coach before my race, and I said 'Do you think I should try and attack up the first climb?', and he said 'If your legs are feeling good then go for it'. I just opened the taps and went as hard as I could go up there."

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Ava Holmgren hung onto seventh for the final lap, however, sister Isabella had been moving up steadily through the field, to within six seconds of Ava before falling back slightly to finish 11 seconds behind. Other Canadian results were Ella Myers in 17th, Jenaya Francis in 19th and Kiara Lylyk in 22nd.

My race was great," said Ava. "I might have gone out a little too hard on the start, but it was good being near the front and it gave me that little bit of extra confidence. I'm so happy that my first world champs was in North America, because I got to hear my friends and family at the side of the course cheering me on. It was so great having their support here. I just amazed at how everything went, and so happy with my race right now."

"It was very sick, and very fun, and very fast," said Isabella. "I started kind of far back and I just kept catching people. I would make sure to go really fast on the climbs because I knew I would have recovery eventually. It was so nice [to have family there]; my sister was cheering on the steep part of the climb, so whenever I heard her, I went faster!"

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