Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig: Cycling’s greatest character is now a winner too after Tour de France Femmes heroics

Plenty of sports people can lay claim to being a ‘fan favourite’ but those who win their way into the hearts and minds of the viewing public more often than not transcend mere sporting excellence. Cecilie Uttrug Ludwig is one such character.

Her broad smile, warm personality and consistently entertaining interviews catapulted her into the hearts of the cycling fandom, who universally celebrated her emphatic victory on Stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes. Ad/> After a day which she herself described as «f****** s***», the win couldn’t have been better timed for the 26-year-old from Frederiksberg, Denmark, and her ill-fated FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope team.

After a horrific crash on Stage 2 saw Amstel Gold Race winner Marta Cavalli ruled out of the race, and several more incidents which resulted in a significant time loss for Uttrup Ludwig on general classification, it was a near perfect description. It would have been enough to push even the most stoic of characters over the edge, and many wrote off the team’s chances of achieving anything from the race, following their grim day in the saddle.

/> Tour de France Femmes‘I can’t wait!’ – Gravel drama awaits on Stage 4AN HOUR AGO The team came out swinging on Stage 3 though, proving they would not let the bad luck get the better of them. They dug deep, showing themselves on the front of the bunch in numbers, driving the pace and ensuring Uttrup Ludwig was well-positioned all day.

When the time came, the Danish champion channelled the negativity through the pedals and delivered a devastating attack on the climb up to the finish line in Epernay. Her perfectly timed final attack had more than an air of redemption about it, and as the team celebrated together, their collective joy