Tormans CX riders on top of the world

The Tormans Cyclo Cross Team started the World Championships weekend in a sensational way. British rider Zoe Bäckstedt became junior world champion on the American course in Fayetteville and was imitated two hours later by Belgian rider Joran Wyseure in the U23 category. Thanks to exemplary teamwork, Emiel Verstrynge joined his compatriot on the second step of the podium.

The 17 year old Briton lined up at 18h (Belgian time) and dominated from the first lap. After her attack on the long climb, Bäckstedt never looked behind and steadily increased her advantage on her competitors. After five laps of 3100 meters the European champion in the discipline became the second junior world champion in history.

As expected, tactics played a major role in the men's U23 category. The trio of Tormans Cyclo Cross Team composed of Théo Thomas (France), Emiel Verstrynge (Belgium) and Joran Wyseure (Belgium) started well and immediately positioned in the front. After one lap of observation, Joran Wyseure was the first one to attack. With the help of his teammate Verstrynge, he managed to increase his lead to 15 seconds at the end of the third lap. Wyseure then maintained a rhythm around seven minutes per lap. At the age of 21, Joran Wyseure became U23 world champion after an effort of almost 50 minutes. Verstrynge, who showed exemplary teamwork, attacked his companions with one and a half lap to go to join his teammate on the podium.

Joran Wyseure:
"I’m a World Champion! This is not normal! In Middelkerke, I joined my teammate and winner Emiel on the podium of the Belgian championships and now it’s the other way around. This was a fantastic performance from the Belgian team, tactically it was just perfect. My start was pretty good today and I felt that I had something left on the long climb when others had to sit down in the saddle. So I slightly accelerated in the second lap. I immediately had a small gap and started a long time trial to bring my compatriots in a defensive position. Thinking that I will ride with the rainbow jersey for one year is just surreal!" 

Zoe Bäckstedt:
"I have no words to describe the feeling of winning the cyclocross world championships! I was dreaming about it for such a long time! Since one and a half year, my main goals in cyclocross didn't always bring me luck. One year ago, I was devastated when the junior world championships were cancelled because of the pandemic only a couple of days before the event. I worked so hard to be ready for what should have been my first rainbow battle. And a couple of weeks ago I couldn't participate to the British championships because of a positive PCR test. This is why I travelled to Fayetteville with an ardent determination. I felt good and I immediately attacked on the first long climb. I knew that it was there that I could make a difference, so I pushed hard on that climb each lap. I had a nice advantage, but I'm nonetheless nicely surprised by this performance!" 

Men U23:
1.Joran Wyseure 49:21
2.Emiel Verstrynge +0:13
3.Thibau Nys +0:33
31.Théo Thomas +4:58

Women Juniors
1.Zoe Bäckstedt 41:16
2.Leonie Bentveldt +0:32
3.Lauren Molengraaf +0:57