A year after placing fourth in the U23 cyclocross world championship, Canadian Isabella Holmgren took fifth in Sunday’s final day of the 2025 UCI Cyclocross in Liévin, France. Brit Zoe Backstedt Sunday defended her U23 title, beating Luxembourger Marie Schreiber.
The Canadian contingent was Holmgren, Mia De Martin, Dorothee Perron, and Marie-Fay St-Onge.
Bella, 12th in the final elite World Cup, was a favourite in the race. Backstedt was both reigning titlist and U23 World Cup champion. Winner of the elite Hulst World Cup, Schreiber had to be in the medal conversation.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t Schreiber taking the hole shot on Lap 1, but Backstedt, with French rider Celia Gery on her six. Schreiber slipped her way to the front. Gery took over, Backstedt in Position 3. Holmgren kept surfing up the thread. Dutch rider Leonie Bentveld was in the mix. When Backstedt was leading, she slid on her backside for a long way, allowing Gery, Bentveld and Schreiber to catch up. Holmgren was sixth by the line.
Backstedt pushed out another gap on Gery at the start of Lap 2 of 5. Schreiber and Bentveld carried on their podium battle behind the French rider. Holmgren picked off a rider and was into fifth. By the line, the Brit was 21 seconds to the good over Schreiber, with Bentveld and Gery +0:37. Holmgren was +1:11. St-Onge was 38th, de Martin 40th and Perron 42st.
On Lap 3, the situation stabilized. Schreiber made some inroads on the Brit’s lead by the beginning of the penultimate lap. Bentveld pulled clear of Gery in the podium scrap. St-Onge, de Martin and Perron were 39th to 41st respectively.
Zoe Backstedt had a 24-second gap by the time she heard the bell, but an error drew the Luxembourger closer. Bentveld was in control of the bronze. Backstedt was ecstatic to keep her rainbow jersey.
2025 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, U23 Women
Gold) Zoe Backstedt (Great Britain) 45:42
Silver) Marie Schreiber (Luxembourg) +0:39
Bronze) Leonie Bentveld (The Netherlands) +1:20
5) Isabella Holmgren (Canada) +2:17
39) Marie-Fay St-Onge (Canada)
40) Mia de Martin (Canada)
41) Dorothee Perron (Canada)
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