Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) has powered to a knockout victory in the opening individual time trial of the Vuelta a Extremadura, her first win of the 2026 season.
Fully living up to her current position of defending British National Time Trial Champion, the 21-year-old clinched the victory on the rain-soaked 18-kilometre stage with a notable 12-second advantage over her closest rival, former Australian National TT Champion Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ) and of 17 seconds over Chapman's trade teammate Maëva Squiban.
First-year pro Mackenzie Coupland (Liv AlUla Jayco) also impressed with fourth, 20 seconds back after a long spell in the hot seat as provisional stage leader.
As the rain teemed down on the short, punchy and largely out-and-back course starting and finishing in Herrera del Duque, young Australian racer Coupland set the best time early on. Even if the specialists and top names were still to come, the 20-year-old notably fended off double French National Time Trial Champion Marion Borras (Cofidis) by eight seconds, with the rest of the field more than 40 seconds distant for some time.
After Ema Comte (Cofidis) moved into the provisional podium with a 31-second deficit, Fee Knaven (UAE Team ADQ) then came even closer by finishing 24 seconds back on Coupland. Finally, though, the reigning Australian National Road Champion was edged out by double 2025 Tour de France Femmes mountain stage winner Squiban by just three seconds.
However, both those times were pushed well out of contention by Chapman, five seconds faster than Squiban and Bäckstedt. One of the very last starters, the young Briton completed the course a notable 12 seconds quicker than the Australian veteran, simultaneously claiming both her eighth career win, her first of 2026, and the race's first overall leader's jersey in the process.
The three-day race now continues with a rolling 132-kilometre trek from Pueblonuevo del Guadiana to Fuente del Maestre before Sunday's showdown mountain stage.
Results
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