Lucinda Brand changes teams and begins to shape her future beyond cycling. A road racer and cyclocross rider of absolute experience, the Dutch cyclist will end her professional relationship with Lidl Trek at the end of the year to transfer to Canyon Sram, with whom she has signed a two-year contract.

The agreement between the German team and the 1989-born athlete stipulates that Brand will end her racing career at the 2028 Paris-Roubaix Femmes before joining the team's technical staff.

"Over the past few years, I've realized that my role as an athlete has become something more than simply participating in races. In a sense, I've already started taking on responsibilities that could be those of a sports director, and I've discovered how much I enjoy this aspect of cycling. I really love working with young and ambitious athletes, sharing my experience and helping them grow. It's something I'd like to explore further. That's why it was important to find a team that recognized these qualities and was willing to offer me an opportunity to develop in this direction," Brand explained.

A professional since 2009, the Dordrecht-born athlete can boast 28 road victories to date. Among these stand out three stages at the Giro d'Italia (Mantua 2015, Loano 2015 and Palinuro 2017), two stages and the overall classification of the 2021 Thüringen Ladies Tour and two stages and the final victory in the 2022 Tour de Suisse Women.

Lucinda has also podiumed in important one-day races such as Amstel Gold Race Ladies and Paris-Roubaix Femmes. About the Hell of the North, the Dutch cyclist says: "It's always been a very special race for me. I love the challenge, the way the race unfolds and the harshness of the pavé: pedaling on those stones is a unique experience, something not everyone is able to do. When the opportunity came to end my road career at Paris-Roubaix, I immediately understood it was an opportunity I had to seize".

Brand will be fundamental in the development of the young athletes on whom Canyon Sram has decided to focus, according to sports director Rolf Aldag: "We're making many changes to our roster and we'll have several young athletes. We therefore need to find the right balance between potential, experience and leadership. That's why Lucinda was a completely natural choice for us. She will be a point of reference for the young riders".