Going into her 13th year in the peloton, the irrepressible Dane talks with Escape about her recovery from a crash, finding the joy again in the sport, and the one race she really wants to win.
Cor Vos
In January 2024, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig was on top of the world. The veteran Danish pro had finished the 2023 season on the podium of the World Championships road race in Glasgow, and she carried that form into the Tour Down Under, where she won the second stage. Her season was on track to be a continuation of the Cille Show until a nasty crash at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad derailed not only her season, but the next two years of her career.
Uttrup Ludwig returned to racing a little under three months after breaking her sacrum in that Opening Weekend crash. For most riders, the results she managed for the remainder of 2024 would be considered decent, especially third in a Giro d’Italia Women stage, but for Uttrup Ludwig – who prides herself on animating races – she wasn’t where she wanted to be.
Almost exactly two years later, Uttrup Ludwig is still looking for that spark. Going into her second season with Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto, Uttrup Ludwig wants to find the fun again.
“I’ve felt like I’ve been on the back foot for a long time,” she told Escape Collective a few days after opening her season at Setmana Valenciana in Spain. “Having a new calendar year in general, you feel like it’s a new book, it’s a new page, and this year, I hope to get back to it.
“I’m just motivated and excited about this year. And I think also, getting older, I’m also a bit calmer in general, about life, about cycling. In general, I just feel great, and I’m excited to start the season.”
Experiences gained
The difference between the Uttrup Ludwig of 2022 and that of 2026 is striking. Known for her exuberant interviews and catchphrases, Uttrup Ludwig is a fan favourite on and off the bike. These days, she is just as passionate, just as engaging, but she carries a maturity that only comes with 12 years of experience in the peloton and a career-altering crash.
At the time, that Omloop Het Nieuwsblad crash didn’t seem like it would impact her as much as it has.
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