Uttrup Ludwig to lead Cervelo Bigla in Setmana Ciclista Valenciana defense

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Cervélo Bigla will line up for their first race of the season at the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana wearing their newly revealed and updated kit. The team returns to the four-day race with the defending champion Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.

"I'm looking forward to racing after a good winter," Uttrup Ludwig said. "I've never worn number one before so it will be an interesting experience. The first race of the season is always an unknown and you never know what you're going to get. We completed a really good training camp in Mallorca the last few days and the mood in the team is great, so we can't wait to start racing together as a unit."

The race, held from February 22-24, features a mix of climber and sprint-friendly stages. Stage 1 will be over 118 kilometres from Rotova to Gandia with two categorised climbs. Stage 2 will start in Castello and finish in Vila-Real. Stage 3 is the longest over 137 kilometres from Sagunt to Valencia. The final stage in Benidorm is on a hilly circuit which will be raced three times.

Uttrup Ludwig will be joined by Ann-Sophie Duyck, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Clara Koppenburg, Emma Norsgaard Jørgensen and Lotta Lepistö at the Spanish race.

They will be wearing the newly updated all-white jersey, which stays in line with the team's classic look. The jersey is meant to standout in the women's peloton.

"You never change a winning team," Team Manager Thomas Campana said. "When you look at football teams, they never change the club colours. We've built something special with the long-term support of our partners the past few years. We wanted to stay with our familiar look that is easily recognizable in the peloton. This is a look that our fans are comfortable with, and we're pleased to have found a design that maintains the identity of the team while updating it in a modern and classic way."

Designed by clothing sponsor Endura, Cervelo Bigla sticks with its traditional blue tones on the panelling of their shorts, which have a red cuff. The jersey has gone more white, allowing the sponsor logos in blue and red to stand out.

"To see such a dedicated group of athletes at Cervélo Bigla give everything in their pursuit of success is a considerable prize for our product developers," said Endura Brand Director Pam Barclay. "The clothing deploys identical innovations to the men's kit, but our women's specific offer has evolved through an effective athlete feedback loop and extensive testing. We're looking forward to another successful season in this incredibly rewarding partnership."

The riders tried out their new kits at a recent training camp in Mallorca, and are now en route to the start of Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, which starts on Thursday.

Cervelo Bigla for Setmana Ciclista Valenciana: Ann-Sophie Duyck, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Clara Koppenburg, Emma Norsgaard Jørgense, Lotta Lepistö, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig