Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig created even more Danish cycling fever with a fantastic victory on the third stage of the women’s Tour de France on Tuesday.
With a fantastic finish, she surprised everyone and sprinted down overall leader Marianne Vos in the uphill. Cecilie is now looking forward to the Tour of Scandinavia on home ground.
– It was a crappy day yesterday, but we fought back, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig said with her face full of tears in the finish town of Epernay after the 133.6 kilometers from Reims.
She was first driven off on an uphill, came back and found new strength in the final uphill sprint towards the finish. Cecilie is not normally a great sprinter and there were few who thought she could pass Marianne Vos, Ashleigh Moolman and the other top hubs who were part of the small front group.
– It is so great, especially in this jersey, says the winner and points to the “Dannebrogen jersey” with the large Danish flag that she wears as Danish champion of the year.
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig is an emotional person, and also a big fan of the Tour of Scandinavia, and she will lead a strong FDJ team when they roll out from Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen on 9. August.
– It will be so “cool” to cycle the WorldTour on home ground, she has expressed several times.
The crappy day on the second stage was a nightmare for the FDJ team, which was involved in one overturn after another. The Danish champion also had to hit the asphalt and lost a minute and 38 seconds. At the same time, the team’s other captain Marta Cavalli had to break.
The former winner of the Ladies Tour of Norway, the wonderful Marianne Vos providefor it that Jumbo-Visma’s progress also continues in the Tour de France after the men’s edition. She won the second stage and was now second today. Thus, she continues in the yellow leader’s jersey when the ladies go out on several gravel sections on Wednesday’s fourth stage.
Uno-X is the first Norwegian team to participate in the Tour de France. Young Anne Dorthe Ysland is currently best in 22nd place with Mie Bjørndal Ottestad in 27th place.
Another surprise on the 3rd stage was that the pre-favourite and last year’s winner of LToN, Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar) lost 20 seconds. She struggles with stomach problems and has not been able to eat normally.
