Cecillie Uttrup Ludwig's contract with FDJ - Suez was ending at the end of this season and the Danish rider's transfer was one of the most highly anticipated of the winter. It was unknown which team would manage to win the battle for her contract but it is now known: Canyon//SRAM.
Reportedly, SD Worx was also in the mix after the departure of Demi Vollering and the hunt for another Grand Tour contender, but for the past few weeks most sources indicated that a deal with Canyon//SRAM was imminent and this has now been confirmed. The American team net a brilliant signing with 29-year old Ludwig, who as had a difficult season but has in the past proven her huge talent as a climber and classics specialist - she joined Vollering and Lotte Kopecky on the podium of the World Championships last year.
“I am immensely looking forward to joining CANYON//SRAM Racing for 2025 and onward. I love the team’s aggressive racing style and not being afraid to lose. I am sure I will fit right in with this kind of racing. That is exactly the type of rider I aim and want to be," Ludwig said in a press release.
Ludwig will join none other than Tour de France Femmes winner Katarzyna Niewiadoma next season, as well as World Championships runner-up Chloé Dygert and the hugely talented young duo of Zoe Bäckstedt and Antonia Niedermaier, forming a team that is continuously evolving and providing a challenging opponent for SD Worx' current dominance in the women's field.
“2024 has been a tough season for me. Lots of crashes and sickness. I really want to put all this behind me and get back to my old form. In this way, I can contribute to a super dynamic team and reach our goals together," she believes. “Sometimes you gain strength through hard times. For example, in the first Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, most of the team crashed on stage 2, and we lost a lot of time in the general classification. But the day after, we managed to bounce back and win the stage. That’s one of the proudest moments of my career. Never give up.”
With Niewiadoma's current palmarès, the Dane may take a secondary role in the Grand Tours if her teammate is present, but this doesn't prevent her from fighting for her own results all throughout the year. “It’s clear from my talks with the team that the support from the team and its staff is very professional, and I feel confident that they will help me in my further development as a rider. Bring on 2025.”
Welcome, @CUttrupLudwig 🤝 “I am immensely looking forward to joining CANYON//SRAM Racing for 2025 and onward. I love the team’s aggressive racing style and not being afraid to lose. I am sure I will fit right in with this kind of racing.” More: wmncycling.com/uttrup-ludwig-…
