Two New Riders Added to 2017 Roster
Cervélo Bigla Pro Cycling Team is proud to announce the signings of Cecilie Ludwig and Marie Vilmann. The two Danish riders will join the team in 2017 and move across from Team BMS BIRN.
Along with winning two stages and the overall in Tour de Feminin this season, 21-year-old Ludwig is the Danish national time trial champion. Both riders are known for their climbing abilities with Vilmann playing an instrumental role in Ludwig’s success in stage races this season.
“We’ve had Cecilie on our radar since the Spring. She’s consistently been one of the top riders in the under 23 rankings and is a growing talent. She’s a very strong climber and I’m pretty sure she’s going to become a really good time trialist. She’s got good overall abilities which gives the team more opportunities in hard one day races as well as stage races. We were looking for someone to be with Ashleigh [Moolman-Pasio] in terms of having a rider with her in the hard conditions and we think we’ve signed one of the most prospective talents in Cecilie,” Team Manager, Thomas Campana said.
Ludwig has been cycling for several years, gaining early success when finishing on the podium in the World Championships as a junior in the time trial in 2012. Vilmann is a new comer to cycling having joined the sport two years ago after starting out in athletics then triathlon.
“The team is set up for riders to have quick adaption to world class racing. Marie has been Cecilie’s right hand woman and they have been working together as a unit. If you look at Cecilie’s victory in Tour de Feminin, the two of them were working really well together under very difficult conditions, getting attacked from other teams in hard racing conditions. It was very clear how well they work together and made sense to bring both riders across. They have the same skillset and talent and when we got the possibility to sign both of them, it made sense.”
Cecilie Ludwig
I think this is one of the best women’s teams and I think I can really develop here. The girls and the staff are really professional. I get inspired the way the team rides in the races; I really want to be part of that. I noticed them when the team rode Auensteiner-Radsporttage. That was a beautiful win because the whole team sacrificed for Ashleigh and that was beautiful to see. The whole team was in the front pulling the peloton until they had nothing left and on the climb Ashleigh finished the work and that’s a beautiful thing about cycling and teamwork. The team is special, it’s a unit and they sacrifice for each other. I’m really looking forward to being in the climbs with Ashleigh and learning from Lotta and the others too. I think they could give Marie and I something of value to be great cyclists.
Marie Vilmann
I noticed they have really good team work in the races. I think Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio is really strong and I like to climb and I look up to her. I think it would be great to work with her and learn from her. In the races, I can see there is good communication within the team and it seems like there is a friendship in the team and they’re not just racing together. The team is big on development and I am still new to the sport so I am looking forward to learning everything I can from the best. I also like the time trial, I like that it’s just yourself and how strong you are and I want to improve in the time trial so this is the best team to do that in.
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