Zoe Bäckstedt Wins Stage 4, Extends Baloise Ladies Tour Lead
# Zoe Bäckstedt Dominates Baloise Ladies Tour with Double Stage Victory, Extends Overall lead
Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) delivered a truly memorable performance at the Baloise Ladies Tour on Saturday, securing two crucial stage victories and significantly extending her lead in the overall classification as the race heads into its final day.
## A Day of Triumph for Bäckstedt
The young rider showcased her exceptional form by first conquering the stage 3 road race in the morning. Not content with one win,Bäckstedt then went on to dominate the stage 4 individual time trial held later in the afternoon in Maldegem. This remarkable double-header has firmly placed her in a commanding position ahead of Sunday’s finale.
### Time Trial Prowess Seals the Deal
In the 10.4km individual time trial, Bäckstedt stopped the clock at an notable 13 minutes and 23 seconds. This blistering pace was enough to clinch the stage win by a margin of four seconds over seasoned competitor Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek). Marthe Goossens (AG Insurance-Soudal) followed, finishing 13 seconds behind Bäckstedt’s winning time.
This victory marked Bäckstedt’s third triumph at the Baloise Ladies Tour, adding to her win in the prologue held on Wednesday in Yerseke, where she initially claimed the coveted leader’s jersey.
## Navigating the Race Lead
Bäckstedt briefly relinquished the leader’s jersey on stage 1 to Charlotte Kool (Picnic PostNL) during the race into Knokke-Heist. However, her strong performance in the stage 3 road race, an 87.4km effort into Maldegem, saw her reclaim the top spot.
With her decisive win in the stage 4 time trial, Bäckstedt now boasts a comfortable 12-second lead over Van Dijk in the general classification. Goossens sits in third place, 26 seconds adrift, as the peloton prepares for the fifth and final stage in Zwevegem on Sunday.
### Results
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