Lucinda Brand to retire at Paris-Roubaix in 2028 after joining Canyon//Sram in dual role

Canyon//Sram have confirmed the signing of Lucinda Brand for the 2027 road season, with Paris-Roubaix in 2028 marking her planned final professional road race before the Dutch rider takes on a team management role.

Earlier this month, the 37-year-old’s departure from Lidl-Trek was confirmed after seven seasons with the German team.

Since turning professional on the road in 2009, Brand has claimed 28 victories, including the GP de Plouay-Bretagne in 2014, Omloop Nieuwsblad in 2017, Tour de Suisse in 2022, Baloise Ladies Tour in 2023 and three stages of the Giro d’Italia. 

Now, Brand will look to add to that tally after making the switch to Canyon//Sram.

“I’ve been following the team for years already. Our paths never really crossed before, but I always thought it would be somewhere I could feel at home. My feelings were good from the very first conversation, and I came away really excited. It was almost like a new fire had been lit inside me,” Brand said in a statement released by Canyon//Sram. 

“The way the team views cycling, their commitment to their athletes, and their attitude towards improving their professional environment align perfectly with my own mindset and how I like to approach the sport. This, combined with the team’s long-term vision for my role, made it an easy decision to commit.”

The contract confirms that Brand will retire from the road in April 2028 following Paris-Roubaix, a race that the Dutchwoman still holds great ambitions to win.

“When the opportunity came along to potentially finish my road cycling career at Paris-Roubaix, I knew straight away that it was a chance I had to grab with both hands," Brand said. 

Brand finished third on the Roubaix velodrome on debut back in 2022 and has since finished 12th in 2023 and 10th in 2026.

Following her planned farewell at the Hell of the North in 2028, Brand will then take on a staffing role within the Canyon//Sram, a natural path post-retirement.

“Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that my role as a rider has become more than just racing. In a way, I’ve already been taking on the responsibilities that a sports director might have, and I’ve discovered how much I enjoy that side of the sport,” Brand said. 

“I really love working with young, ambitious athletes, sharing my experience, and helping them grow. It’s something I’d love to explore further and develop myself in. That’s why it was important for me to find a team that recognised those qualities and was willing to give me an opportunity to grow in that direction.”

Canyon have also confirmed that Brand will continue to combine her road programme with her cyclo-cross ambitions.

Despite leaving Lidl-Trek to join Canyon, the Dutchwoman will remain with the Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions in the cross field beyond January 1, following an extension of her partnership with Sven Nys’ team.

The two-time world champion has already raced five times during the 2026/27 cyclo-cross campaign, winning in Dendermonde, Ardooie and Overijse as she builds towards the defence of her rainbow jersey in Ostend on 30 January.