«When I was losing my joy for cycling, Sven brought it back. His passion, energy and belief in me made me fall in love with the sport all over again.»
Lucinda Brand announced on Instagram that she is leaving Lidl-Trek and will switch road teams for 2027. She extended her winter contract with Baloise-Het Poetsbureau Lions for two more seasons, continuing with team manager Sven Nys. Her stated reason is Nys: «To stay, I would have to leave behind the man who believed in me when I needed it most.»
Brand also pointed to the departure of former team manager Luca Guercilena from Lidl-Trek as a reason for the switch. Guercilena is now cycling director at Giro d'Italia organiser RCS Sport. Her statement puts the weight on Nys, not on the road team she is leaving: «When I was losing my joy for cycling, Sven brought it back.»
Lidl-Trek loses a rider who won 20 races in 2026, and her road team for 2027 will be named next week. Her winter programme with Nys is settled for two more seasons, and her 2026-27 season starts this weekend at HG Cross Dendermonde.
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