British allrounder Elynor Bäckstedt has joined Lidl-Trek teammates Elisa Longo Borghini and Brodie Champman in shifting throughout to UAE ADQ, with the 22-year-old signing a three-year deal.
Having turned professional very younger with Trek-Segafredo in 2020 after a profitable junior profession, Bäckstedt has spent a lot of the final 4 years working as a loyal domestique, with out having fun with the identical success she did within the youthful class as a junior Gent-Wevelgem winner.
Nonetheless, she’s proved beneficial to the likes of Longo Borghini in chasing wins for the previous 5 seasons, and it is the presence of two former teammates leaping over to the Emirati squad that has persuaded her to observe go well with.
“I’ve been teammates with Elisa for 5 years, and Brodie for 2. I get together with them and we work tremendous nicely collectively. That was actually an element within the transfer throughout to UAE Crew ADQ as a result of they’re superb teammates however I’m wanting ahead to attending to know all of the riders,” Bäckstedt mentioned in a press launch.
“I can’t wait to assist Elisa and the opposite riders however I’m additionally excited concerning the thought of sitting down with the coaches and setting new objectives for myself. I need to enhance my TT a bit extra as a result of that’s been on the backburner for the final couple of years and I’m excited to see what this transfer can deliver out of me.”
Elynor is the elder of the Bäckstedt sisters, with 20-year-old Zoe using for Canyon-SRAM within the Girls’s WorldTour, with the pair coming from sturdy biking pedigree because the daughters of 2004 Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Bäckstedt and 1998 British nationwide champion Megan Bäckstedt (neé Hughes).
And not using a skilled victory but in her profession, regardless of her wealth of expertise at a younger age, and maybe feeling some stagnation in her development, Bäckstedt felt prefer it was about time to depart Lidl-Trek.
“Typically you simply want a brand new problem and this seems to be like a terrific one. It felt prefer it was the proper time for a change,” she mentioned.
“That opened up conversations, and in the long run, the possibility to race for UAE Crew ADQ. It was about looking for a workforce the place I felt I may excel in what I can do and UAE Crew ADQ felt like an incredible alternative.
“I’d prefer to get caught in on the entrance of extra races and try to take a win as a result of it has been some time since that occurred to me. I had a troublesome begin to the game when shifting up by juniors, so I missed a few years in that sense. I’ve developed quite a bit since then however I nonetheless really feel like I’ve much more in me, so I’d like to take a win subsequent yr.”
