Tour of Scandinavia stage 2: Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig takes hilltop sprint victory on Queen stage

After being denied at the last minute on stage 1, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ) powered to an impressive victory on stage 2 of the Tour of Scandinavia, beating her main rival for the stage, Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar), in the final sprint to the line.

The Dane was equal to van Vleuten all the way up the climb to the Norefjell ski resort and had the legs left to finish off the job in the final 100m and move into the GC lead.

Kim Cadzow (Jumbo-Visma) and Greta Marturano (Fenix-Deceuninck) both put in rides beyond their years to come to the line with the two GC candidates, finishing two and three seconds back respectively.

The result means Uttrup Ludwig - who celebrated her 28th birthday yesterday - takes the leader’s jersey by a margin of eight seconds to van Vleuten.

Never disappointing in interviews, Uttrup Ludwig admitted: “It's just not been the greatest season, but what a turnaround. This victory means so much to me and I'm super happy and proud."

Adding to her win on the same climb during the 2022 edition of this race, she said: “I really like this climb, from both sides. I wasn't too nervous but I also knew that today was going to be a decisive day for the GC and also the time trial. I love racing here, and we’re heading to Denmark too so it really feels like my home tour.

“[My team] did so well giving me bottles and protecting me from the wind. They really all believed in me, telling me that I could do it - so it's really just for them.

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig’s happy hunting ground

On a day always expected to be decided on the final slopes, there was a lack of urgency for any break to form. After a 50km stalemate following the rollout from Vikersund, Tiril Jørgensen (Coop-Hitec Products) and Mia Sofie Rützou (Denmark) built up a minute’s advantage only to be swiftly reeled in.

Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Lauretta Hanson (Lidl-Trek) were the next riders to stir things up, attacking off the front with 65km to go.

A number of counter-attacks followed, with stage 1 winner Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) getting involved but no one was able to make a move stick ahead of the day’s key climb - which began inside the final 20km and averaged 5.1%.

Katerine Aalerud (Movistar Team) was then caught up in a painful crash with her teammate Sarah Gigante and Mahri Hole Mohr (Team Coop - Hitec Products) moments later - with Aalerud requiring treatment.

As the climb ramped up, Anouska Koster (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) and Niamh Fisher-Black (SD Worx) both attempted to push on, but neither could make a move stick on the testing gradients.

It was at this point that Uttrup Ludwig and van Vleuten - the only two riders to win a stage finish at the Norefjell ski resort - upped the tempo once again.

Only Kim Cadzow (Jumbo-Visma) and Greta Marturano (Fenix-Deceuninck) were able to eventually bridge across to them, with a gap of 45 seconds developing to those behind as the final 3.5km plateau was reached.

The quartet marked each other out as the line came into view, with Uttrup Ludwig strongest in the final 100m, edging out her probable rival for the overall title to pick up a second win at the ski resort.

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