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.

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 summed up the significance of the U-turn in their fortunes.

Uttrup Ludwig was as effusive as always, happiness and tears intermingling as she tried to hold it together and answer the interviewer’s questions. It was enough to thaw many a cold heart, and the Stage 3 victor was full of praise for her team, and dedicated her win to them. “We knew today was a super good day but to actually do it and be a Tour de France stage winner, and in this jersey. It just doesn’t get better.”

A rider long associated with characterful press interviews, Uttrup Ludwig strikes a welcome contrast with many of the peloton’s more sanguine figures. She’s well known for her energetic outbursts and for not holding back, and shot to internet fame in 2019 following her Tour of Flanders post-race interview, where she openly expressed her exhaustion using the much-coined term “a happy dead fish” to describe herself off the back of an unforgettable interview (trust us, if you haven’t seen it, you need to stop what you’re doing and watch that interview below – featuring a few colourful words…).

As a fan of sports, it’s always satisfying to see a rider hit the top of their game and deliver when the chips are down. What Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig did today was next level – to produce such a powerful, calculated attack at just the right moment despite the pressure on her shoulders proves she’s not just a likeable character, but also a magnificent athlete. The manner of her redemptive victory and the emotional reaction that followed will unite cycling fans across the globe, who will be vindicated in their support of her as they see her succeed at the highest level.

In a summer of Danish success at the Tour de France, Cecilie’s stage victory is the cherry on top – and given the form she is in, there’s every possibility her countless fans will have more to celebrate in the coming days. It quite literally couldn’t happen to a nicer person.

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