Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig finally claimed her first WorldTour victory
Known for giving the most exuberant interviews, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig was almost speechless after winning the third stage of the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas. Not only was it FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine’s first WorldTour victory, but it was also Uttrup Ludwig’s first WWT win.
After the team came over to hug Uttrup Ludwig and the puddle of tears from the four women had dispersed, she was able to get out a few sentences of post-race thoughts. “The stage was actually pretty calm. In the final, we were just like, let us have some fun, let us go out and attack. I am so proud of the team protecting me the whole day, and then in the final, it was so nice to see Evita [Muzic], this young French girl, going up and attacking. It was just such a good day,” said Uttrup Ludwig.
Uttrup Ludwig has cultivated a loyal fanbase for her open and honest interviews and for her ability to leave everything on the road. In the early season one-days, she was constantly active, attacking her rivals and fighting for every result. Before she started her 2021 season her goals were simple; win a WorldTour race and go to the Olympics.
“I want to go out and race hard, attack a lot, and have fun,” she told the Freewheeling podcast at a pre-season team camp.
Looking through her results for the past few years it’s clear the young Danish rider has been frustratingly close to taking a big win. In 2021 she was fifth in Strade Bianche and then third in Trofeo Alfredo Binda. Throughout the rest of the Spring WWT races Uttrup Ludwig has consistently placed in the top 10.
What really matters regarding her win at the Vuelta a Burgos is that the monkey is off her back, she’s taken that first big win, and judging by Uttrup Ludwig’s riding style and drive, it is the first of many. She was fourth overall at the Giro Rosa in 2020, second at La Flèche Wallonne the same year, fourth at La Course in 2019, and has racked up a handful of other impressive results but Uttrup Ludwig is still only 25. She has not yet reached the peak of her career, in fact, she’s still in the process of learning how to win.
Saturday’s Vuelta a Burgos stage was one where everything came together for Uttrup Ludwig. She spent a little time off the front earlier in the race, but much of the stage was spent hiding in the wheels and letting her teammates do the heavy lifting. When it came time to sprint for the win Uttrup Ludwig was able to outmatch Kasia Niewiadoma and Anna van der Breggen.
Uttrup Ludwig loves the one days, especially the Tour of Flanders, and come Spring 2022 she will be up there fighting for another huge result. She can take a lot of confidence out of her performance at Vuelta a Burgos and so can her team.
Uttrup Ludwig has accomplished one of her 2021 goals, the next is kind of out of her hands. As the Tokyo Olympic Games loom, there is still uncertainty regarding whether or not they will go ahead. If they do happen there’s no doubt Uttrup Ludwig will be one to watch.
The post Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig finally claimed her first WorldTour victory appeared first on CyclingTips.