Zoe Bäckstedt has said her helmet saved her life after a training crash left her with a fractured hand and wrist.
The under-23 cyclo-cross world champion will delay her move to riding CX due to the injuries; the Welshwoman was likely to begin her season off-road mid-November with a round of the X2O Trofee or Superprestige competitions, but will now have to wait.
"October - the highs and lows," the 21-year-old posted on Instagram, with a round-up of her month. As well as on and off-bike activities, including a trip to the LeBlanq event in Ibiza, and a new Lego-inspired Canyon paintjob, Bäckstedt shared photos of her damaged helmet, and her lying in a hospital bed.
"A perfect month of training and ‘holidays’ but a crash for me in training yesterday resulted in 2 small fractures in my hand and wrist…" the Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto rider wrote. "It’s a shame to have this outcome and to miss the first races of the season but give me time and I’ll come back stronger.
"One thing I know for sure, my helmet saved my life. Thank you Giro Cycling. Wear a helmet, please."
Her team commented: "The helmet appreciation ⛑️❤️. Take care and we’re sending healing vibes 🙌."
Bäckstedt had a successful road season, winning five of the six time trials in which she took part, including at the British National Road Championships and the UCI Road World Championships. She also won her first ever race overall, emerging victorious from the Baloise Ladies Tour in July, where she won three of the six stages.
She will definitely miss the European Cyclo-Cross Championships, which take place at Middelkerke on Saturday, and the first round of the UCI World Cup in Tabor on 23 November might also be too soon, but she will likely be back before the peak of CX season in December.
Last year, Bäckstedt finished fourth overall in the elite women's World Cup standings after a consistent season, which saw her finish on three podiums at World Cups.
