This article was produced in association with MNSTRY
Watch an interview with Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, and it’s hard not to smile. Her enthusiasm is infectious, her emotions are raw and unfiltered, and she exudes a charm that is as captivating as it is genuine. She doesn’t just light up the races with her fearless, attacking style – she also brings a refreshing openness to a sport where many athletes carefully curate their public personas and save their highs and lows for behind closed doors. She’s a rider who refuses to blend into the background.
But 2024 was a difficult season for Uttrup Ludwig, challenging even her own Danish Viking-like spirit. While she opened her year with a stage win at the Tour Down Under in Australia, a return to Europe for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad during Opening Weekend saw her involved in a crash, fracturing her sacrum and preventing her from racing for over three months – missing the entirety of the spring Classics, races which she suits. Even when she returned to the peloton, she struggled to find her best form. However, after a turbulent year, she’s entering a new chapter of her career with CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto, bringing her a fresh mindset and renewed motivation.
“I really want to put last year behind me. It was not the greatest year for me, in terms of injuries, sickness, and blah blah blah. What was not wrong last year?” she told Rouleur from Girona, Spain, still with the signature smile across her face despite reflecting on the adversity she had to overcome. “It’s been nice with the off-season and being able to put that behind me and focus on a new team, a new energy, and new people.”
CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto announced that Uttrup Ludwig would join the team on a two-year contract in October 2024. The German team is known for its plucky courage, relentless attacks, and determination to animate races. With riders like 2024 Tour de France Femmes winner Kasia Niewiadoma, Neve Bradbury, and Chiara Consonni in their ranks, they’ve built a reputation as one of the most exciting squads in the women's peloton. So a team that thrives on bold racing and big personalities seems like the perfect place for a rider who never shies away from the fight.
“The two training camps we’ve been on have had such a good vibe. I have felt very welcome and supported from the beginning. It has been fun. I think we’re all super motivated to rock this season. It’s funny because you go so many months training, and now, it’s like, finally, we are back racing, and that’s what we train for. I’m filled with excitement, or a lot of excitement actually, and also, obviously, a bit of nervous energy coming into the first race of the season,” she said, reinforcing how well she’s settled into her new environment.
With a new team, however, comes new sponsors, new kit, new nutrition, new coaches and a new racing schedule. With team coaches now guiding her training, the transition has felt different but, in her words, “very natural”. She’s also had a much longer off-season compared to last year, where she started racing in January in Australia. For 2025, Uttrup Ludwig has opted for a later start, making her season debut in February at the four-stage Setmana Ciclista Valenciana in Spain. “I’ve had a long time off, which has been good for me mentally. I could just rebuild at my own tempo,” she said.
Central to her comeback is the emphasis on optimal fuelling – something Uttrup Ludwig noted as a big focus at CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto and a growing topic in women’s professional cycling. “When I started [racing], I knew I had to eat and count my carbs and stuff like that, but in the last few years, there has been such a big focus on it, and I think that shows in the races," she smiled. "I mean, we’re getting faster and faster and better.
“It is not just in racing either, but also fuelling in training. I feel that is good because you’re having these super hard training sessions where you are trying to get ready for the races, so it is important to fuel right. We have recommendations from the team nutritionist and also from MNSTRY. We’re upping the game.”
MNSTRY, which has recently joined CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto as new sponsor, is no stranger to the highest levels of professional cycling. Having already worked with several WorldTeams, including Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, Tudor Pro Cycling, and CERATIZIT Pro Cycling, the nutrition brand has earned a reputation for supporting athletes at the peak of their performance.
However, MNSTRY’s approach to fuelling sets it apart from many other brands as the German-based company prioritises natural ingredients while still delivering high-performance benefits. According to Robert Gorgos, MNSTRY’s product developer, the inspiration behind the brand came from a desire to create a product that not only fuels the body but also aligns with a health-conscious mindset for long-term athletic performance.
"While working in professional cycling [Gorgos was a former Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe nutritionist], I had access to a variety of top-tier fuelling products. They met the fuelling criteria – high carbohydrate content, good recovery, and performance benefits. But, as an athlete myself, I wasn't entirely satisfied. I didn’t want to ingest artificial sweeteners or ingredients that didn’t contribute to overall health," he explained. "I wanted something natural, free from artificial ingredients like citric acid or sweeteners, and something that could be used every day for years without compromising my health or performance."
This drive for cleaner, more natural fuelling products led to the creation of MNSTRY’s range that is designed to taste like the ingredients they contain – whether that’s raspberry, mango, or coconut water. "It's about bringing the natural flavours of the ingredients into the products without overwhelming artificial additives," he added.
Gorgos highlighted the impact that artificial ingredients can have on gut microbiome and, as a result, performance, linking gut bacteria to changes in mood, sleep, digestion and performance – all vital qualities for athletes to excel. "You lose that gut feeling that's connected to your brain for healthy nutrition," he said. "There are even rumours in research that super talents have a special microbiome, showing that gut bacteria, natural nutrition and performance go hand-in-hand."
“I was used to that sweet taste. I guess, a very artificial taste," Uttrup Ludwig recalled, before adding, "I remember the first time I was tasting [MNSTRY], Honestly, it was mind-blowing. It’s such a natural taste, like nothing I had ever tried."
MNSTRY's natural and vegan products have everything an athlete like Uttrup Ludwig needs to fuel her racing, from caffeinated and non-caffeinated gels to carb drinks, oat bars, and recovery shakes. Her favourites? The mango-flavoured gels, packed with 40g of carbs, and the porridge bars made with real bourbon vanilla and almond protein.
But as a 29-year-old racing at the highest level, Uttrup Ludwig values more than just performance. She appreciates MNSTRY's commitment to long-term health over short-term gains. "I like that I know it is doing me good, but also good for my teeth and gut," she said. "We consume so much in both training and races – we have to drink and eat so many carbs – it is nice knowing it is also good for you. It is a win-win."
With everything now in practice during training, Uttrup Ludwig is ready to line up at the start of a race and show how these changes in her training, nutrition, and mindset are setting her on the path to victory once again. A previous stage victor at the Tour de France Femmes, overall winner at the Tour of Scandinavia, and with several other WorldTour podium finishes, she is a proven champion – a rider with panache.
However, in her new team, with other accomplished stars on the roster, securing her own victories may not always be a possibility. This is something Uttrup Ludwig is clearly aware of. “I just look forward to being super aggressive with the team and, hopefully, contributing to a lot of race wins and just being at the front of the bike race,” she added, confident in her role in the team. “I just want to be back racing with my heart.”
And that’s exactly what makes Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig so unforgettable – both on and off the bike.
