Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig gets her first GC victory in this season - "I’m over the moon, I am happy to make it"

The Tour of Scandinavia concluded on Sunday with Marianne Vos' fourth stage victory and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig's first GC victory of the season. Ludwig finished in 16th position with enough lead to conquer the overall win.

“It feels so goddamn good,” said Uttrup Ludwig. The rider was not shy to dedicate the victory to her teammates, saying, “I’m over the moon. And the team was so good, controlling it. I don’t know where they get their energy and their power from. They were so strong, and it made me so motivated and so happy. That we can bring it home, it’s thanks to the."

The peloton had to complete three laps in the final 20-kilometer. It was a thrilling stage with riders attacking every now and then, hoping to get some lead. “Woi oi oi, it was just mega stressful here on the laps,” said Uttrup Ludwig.

Three kilometers before the finish, Lianne Lippert jumped ahead of the peloton, and at one point, it seemed like she would be today’s stage winner, but her legs gave up rather quickly, and the peloton soon caught up to her.“It goes so quick, and it’s so full-on and hard. And then when Liane attacked with one lap to go, I was like ‘holy moly, no no no’ so I was like ‘ahhh, gotta close that.”

Yesterday Ludwig expressed her desire to take the yellow jersey with her and she has followed on her promise today. She is over the moon with her victory.“Then when I closed it I was like ‘phew, OK, now just gotta be safe, safe home, safe home’. But we made it good. I am happy to make it,” concluded Ludwig.