After missing the end of last year's cyclocross season due to knee surgery, Evie Richards is targeting success this season.

The 22-year-old British rider, a two-time under-23 cyclocross world champion, missed out on a chance to retain her title last season as she underwent surgery to repair a knee injury.

This year, Richards is back in shape to pursue his mountain bike Olympic dream in Tokyo next July. After returning from surgery, the British rider took three podium finishes in the under-23 level of the Mountain Bike World Cup before winning the final round at the Snowshoe Resort in West Virginia in September.

A week later, Richards finished fifth in the elite women's category at the opening round of the World Cup in Iowa City and took third in the next round in Waterloo eight days later.

"I was exhausted by the time I got to this event, having been away for 10 weeks," she said.

"The first race was really tough for me to get into because I hadn't ridden a cross bike in a year, so I had a really hard time getting into it. [Cross-biking helped me get back into a rhythm, get some sleep, and it was perfect.

Richards won his first Elite Cyclocross World Cup race in Namur in 2017 and hopes to return to this year's event on December 22.

Last season, Richards took an early break and returned to international competition at the World Cup in Tabor and Koksijde in November before an injury interrupted his season.

"I will be back for the Namur World Cup. I'll be back for the Namur World Cup," Richards said. 'But obviously my cross season is going to be shortened this year because of a lingering knee injury that has delayed everything.'

"I'm going to be back for the World Cup in Namur," he said.

"I'll probably be back racing in Belgium in December and then I'll be racing in Namur, the national championships, Hogelheide, and the end of the season, She said.

The UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Dübendorf, Switzerland, in February will be Richards' first world championship at the elite level. The course is expected to be flat and different from the circuit where Richards won both world titles at under 23.

Richards said, "This will be my first year competing in the World Championships as an elite.

"I want to run the cross this year and then compete a full season next year.

After being away from the sport for the past few weeks, Richards returned to cyclocross action this past weekend, winning a regional race near her Malvern home in Worcestershire, England.

The British rider helped design the circuit, which included technical descents and muddy forest sections to test riders' strength.

Despite only returning to training a few days before the event, Richards put together an impressive run in his home event, winning by nearly three minutes, lapping all but eight riders in the process.

"I ran my race at the front," Richards explained.

"It's only been five days since I've been back on the bike, so I'm back on the bike and riding hard... I'm happy to be pedaling again. I love the local races and it's great to see the kids and a lot of people racing.

"I should be able to come back a couple more times, and if the weather is good I'll train in England until December and hopefully do a few more local races.