Tom Pidcock gets Yorkshire support in bid for UCI World Cyclo-Cross glory

For Ben Turner, a 22-year-old from Doncaster, will ride in support of and alongside 22-year-old Pidcock, from Leeds, as the former junior world champion seeks to land the senior title at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, from January 28-30.

Pidcock is hoping to become Great Britain’s first elite cyclo-cross world champion and heads to America in fine form, following World Cup victories this season in Rucphen and Hulst.

He was second to Mathieu van der Poel in the men’s elite race at the 2020 world championships in Dübendorf, and fourth last year in Ostend.

Pidcock gained revenge at the Olympics in Tokyo when Dutch rider van der Poel crashed on the opening lap.

Turner was a bronze medallist in the junior race at the 2017 cyclo-cross world championships and has just signed a professional contract with Pidcock’s road team Ineos Grenadiers.

Recently-crowned elite national champion Thomas Mein completes the British team to compete in the United States next week.

In the junior women’s category, Zoe Bäckstedt will be looking to add another rainbow jersey to her collection, following her victory in the road race at the 2021 UCI Road World Championships in Flanders.

Bäckstedt was crowned junior women’s European cyclo-cross champion in November, and also took the win in December’s world cup round in Namur. She will be joined in the category by Ella Maclean-Howell, who was victorious in the junior women’s category at the recent British nationals.

Anna Kay will be looking to cap a strong season as the team’s sole representative in the elite women’s category.

British Cycling performance director Stephen Park said: “There has never been a more exciting time to be a British cyclo-cross fan, and I’m delighted that we’re able to take such a strong team to Fayetteville, with medal contenders across all categories.

“It’s been fantastic to see Tom and Zoe all topping podiums at World Cup rounds in recent months and cementing our place as a real force to be reckoned with in the sport.”