Cycling Impressions Interviews: Lucinda Brand

We had the great pleasure to interview Lucinda Brand, a road cycling champion and a cyclo-cross legend!
Here is what she told us:

Hi Lucinda and thank you very much, it is a pleasure and a honor to interview you!
Did you start with road cycling, track cycling or cyclocross and which is your favorite?
I started with road cycling.
When I was 14 years old my dad bought a cyclocross bike for me so I could continue riding my bike in the winter.
Actually, I never have been riding on the track. I never really showed any interest in it, so my parents either me, never took the time to travel to the track to try out. Still the track sounds a bit boring to me, but if I once gonna try, then the Madison would be the one I want to learn!
Choosing a favorite out of road or cross is hard for me. I like the games you play with road cycling and I like the quickly changes of the circumstances and technical challenges in cross.

What is your favorite race?
There are two races I’m very disappointed if I cannot race them. Both are in Italy, Strade Bianche and Giro Rosa. It’s nice they are both in a country I love, but that isn’t the only reason.
Of course Strade has a closer link to cyclocross, it’s an heroic race, you need more then ‘just’ able to ride hard. Giro Rosa is the one of the longest stage races we have.
I like stages races, it feels like I’m becoming stronger every day. The giro also have some surprises, a stage can be longer or a short hill becomes a climb. Mostly there will be stages for every kind of rider.
This combination under a bit harder (warmer) weather conditions I really like and it suits me.

I've to say that I agree with you, they are both fantastic races! You have won a lot of races, including two stages at the Giro Rosa, which is you favorite victory and why?
It’s hard to choose one victory. Every victory has its own special feeling. A extreme breakaway, the team effort, the route I had made to reach the goal.

Who is your sport hero?
I’m not a person who has a real hero.

Okay, let's move to the next question. What is your goal for 2019?
One of my goals is already passed as, the first goal was already in the begin of February, to go for the World title cyclocross, unfortunately I didn’t made it. One of the other goals will be in the summer, last year I just missed the podium in the Giro, so this year I will go full to step on the podium.

You have excited us so much during the Cyclocross World Championships that your second place smells like a victory. 
Let's change topic: hobbies when you don't cycle?
Since I have a motorcycle that’s one of the things I like to do when I’m free and the weather is good. As I’m a lot on the road, it is nice to be just home some moments and take some easy time with friends.

Thank you very much Lucinda and good luck for all your goals! Cycling Impressions will always support you!!
Thank you!

Il Lombardia

What a race! Nibali won again Il Lombardia and brought Bahrain Merida its first Monument.
The race was incredibly hard and nothing more that the words of Pinot can summarize how it went: "I think Nibali is the most complete rider of the Peloton".
Despite all the critics received during the season, the Squalo came out with an incredible victory.
In the interview after the race he has already set his new objective: Innsbruck world championships.
Seeing how these last Italian classics or para-classics went, with the victory of Uran Uran, Nibali, Visconti, Geniez and with first class riders as Pinot, Quintana and Alaphilippe fighting in the up front, next year's World Champs are going to be memorable.
Nevertheless we have a season to watch and comment in which we will still enjoy Sagan wearing its natural outfit.
Stay tuned.

Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Vuelta a España 2017

Who is the Rider of the Vuelta a España 2017?

Froome

Nibali

Zakarin

Villella

Trentin

Contador

Lopez

Marczynski

Poels

Lampaert

 

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Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Month

Who is the Rider of the Month?

Aru

Naesen

Spilak

Sagan

Fuglsang

Bennett

Dennis

Majka

Demare

Dillier

 

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Italian National Championships

I've seen so many races during this weekend of National Championships all around the world and the one that impressed me the most was the Italian one.
Aru won like a champion with one of the best attacks I've seen this season.
He attacked on the last climb and never slowed down, always pushing hard on his bike.
Aru's cycling style is particular but fantastic to see in a day like yesterday (extremely hot) and on the hardest climbs.
He is an emotional rider, every stroke of the pedal  is like a step towards his personal redemption.
There is the shadow of Scarponi on Aru's victory, he rode with the jersey that his friend gave him while they were training in Spain. This is cycling.
If Aru maintain this shape during the Tour de France, I'am sure it will be a great show.
It is a long time we don't have a Champion so close to the people, with a so expressive way of pedaling.

Rider of the Giro 100

Congratulations Tom, you are the Rider of the Giro 100!!!
Dumoulin has been elected rider of the Giro with a plebiscite. 80% of the Impressionists voted him Rider of the Giro 100.
I've to say that It is hard to think to someone else as rider of the Giro 100. This one has definitely been the Giro of Dumoulin, a legendary one.
He has been stronger than all his opponents, he has been attacked many times, even by nature. He fought alone during three hard weeks and, in the end, succeeded.
The Giro 100 has been a memorable one and Tom Dumoulin has secured his place in history.

Ronde Van Vlaanderen 2017

I want to start the article on such an epic race with two quotes:

The first is of the World Champion, Peter Sagan, that,  when asked if the trio would have caught Gilbert, replied: "I think so. Given how I was riding and I had strong companions, so yes, I think I could have got back up to him, but destiny didn't want it".


The second is of the Winner of the race, Philippe Gilbert: “It all started on the Muur. I was riding on Tom Boonen’s wheel and it went on from there,” Gilbert said. “We had three riders in the group and we decided to push on.”

These two quotes explain better than 100 words how epic has been the 101° ronde.
The genius of Tom Boonen invented an incredible race and the class of Gilbert drew it.
In the final, when a super strong trio made by Sagan, Van Avermaet and Naesen could have ruined such a wonderful masterpiece, destiny decided that it was time to pay back the Belgian champion for the amazing start of the season and for his bravery.
This has been the 101° Ronde Van Vlaanderen and we will talk about and remember this race for a long long time.

The Legend of Peter Sagan - Milano-Sanremo 2017

I've alwaye heared old people saying: "yes, nowadays there are good riders, but when there was Coppi..." or "but when there was Merckx...".
Nobody can say this anymore watching Sagan riding his bike.
Sagan is able to do romantic feat in a cycling dominated by technology and mathematics.
What he did on the Poggio during the 2017 Milano-Sanremo has been something that will remain in the history of this sport.
Milano-Sanremo in recent years has become a sprinter Classic and organizers where thinking about modify the route. This is not necessary anymore, you need champions, not route modifications in order to have great races again.
Yesterday the plot of all the romantic masterpieces was respected once again, the main hero didn't win, beaten by a clever and strong rider, the former World Champion before the Sagan's era.
I don't think this is the start of a new dualism, Sagan is simply The Hero and will have to face many different riders trying to defeat him.
Kwiatkowski deserved his Victory, he won in the only way he could against The Hero and will be remembered in the Milano-Sanremo winners list, but Sagan will be always remembered as The Legend and his presence in the Winners list of the various races will be just in the back burner.
Sagan doesn't know the cycling history, they say, It doesn't matter, It is more important making it.

National Championships

The end of June is characterized by the National Championships.
These are the greatest occasion (apart from the rainbow jersey and its curse) to be more recognizable in the peloton for a rider.
The races are very interesting because the teams do not have a fixed number of riders, there could be teams even with just one rider.
This situation makes the races unpredictable and very hard and stressful.
Nevertheless, we have to consider that if you win a National Championship you will be celebrated the entire year. You will be The National Champion, not just a random rider of the peloton. Such a great title can't be gained without a great effort. Good luck riders!
Let's enjoy the National Championships lottery!