Dutchwoman to continue to combine road and cyclo-cross after leaving Sunweb
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Lucinda Brand (Sunweb) second on stage 5(Image credit: Getty Images)
Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) wins stage 5 at the Giro Rosa, Lucinda Brand (Sunweb) second and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM)(Image credit: Getty Images)
Lucinda Brand (Sunweb) takes second over Lotte Kopecky (Lotto Soudal)(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Dutch cyclist Lucinda Brand (Team Sunweb) speaks during a press conference in Waregem prior to the start of the Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Getty Images)
Trek-Segafredo have bolstered their roster for 2020 with the signing of Lucinda Brand from Team Sunweb. The Dutchwoman will continue to combine road cycling with cyclo-cross, where she will race for Telenet Fidea Lions, the Belgian team who are also sponsored by Trek.
Brand, who started her career with the Rabobank-Liv set-up, has spent the past three years with Sunbweb, winning Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and a stage of the Giro Rosa.
This year, she finished 3rd at Dwars door Vlaanderen, 9th at the Tour of Flanders, 5th at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 4th at La Course, and 6th overall at the Giro Rosa.
Brand's move is the first since cycling's transfer window officially opened on August 1, and the first for Trek-Segafredo ahead of their second season. The team was created for the start of 2019 with a big budget and a host of high-profile riders – including Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini - and Brand’s arrival only strengthens the team’s position.
"I am really excited that we were able to sign Lucinda and have her join our team next year," said team director Ina Teutenberg. "Lucinda is one of those complete riders who can win on any terrain and is never afraid to take her chance. But just as important, she plays a big role in the victory of teammates. She will make us stronger next season and I'm looking forward to working with Lucinda."
Brand will continue to compete in cyclo-cross as well as on the road. This past season she enjoyed success on the dirt, winning three rounds of the World Cup and the Dutch national title, before finishing runner-up at the World Championships.
The move to Trek will also see her compete for the well-established cyclo-cross outfit Telenet Fidea Lions. The contract begins on January 1, 2020, so Brand will begin the 2019/2020 cyclo-cross season in Sunweb colours before making the switch in the new year.
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"In the past winters I have already gained some experience in cyclocross. I love it enormously and would like to do more of it in the future. I want to continue to combine it with racing on the road, the latter staying my main focus for the time being. The combined proposal to ride for Telenet Fidea Lions in the winter and Trek-Segafredo in the summer appealed to me immediately," Brand said.
"To realize my ambitions on the road, I am making the switch to Trek-Segafredo. I am looking for a team with ambition, professional facilities, and sufficient support. This is not always easy to find in women's cycling, but at Trek-Segafredo I feel these things are done well, and I am also given the freedom to achieve my goals. Next summer, I really hope to go to the Tokyo Olympic Games. Immediately after the cyclocross season, I want to be present throughout the spring classics until Liège-Bastogne-Liège at the end of April. Combined with my cyclocross calendar, I have good prospects for 2020.”
