"I want that rainbow jersey back" - Lucinda Brand changes sights into Cyclocross season where she looks to dominate again

With Cyclocross restarting this weekend, the spotlight will fall increasingly more on the riders who have been eagerly waiting for the winter, and one of them is Lucinda Brand who is entering the season with similar yet very ambitious goals.

Following a successful season on the road with a podium at Paris-Roubaix, the overall win at the Tour de Suisse and a recent KOM classification victory this past week at La Vuelta, Brand is looking to turn off the switch on the road and return to her main focus, the dirt and mud of the Netherlands and Belgium.

In conversation with Wielerflits, Brand revealed she is likely to begin her season next week at the Exact Cross Beringen. “That is quite early. Of course I'm in good shape by riding on the road, but now I mainly want to get the cross feeling. I haven't been doing training in the field for very long," she said.

Brand dominated much of the last season, but has not been able to take the World title - taken by Marianne Vos - after such a successful year. Her main goals resemble those of Lars van der Haar who will lead the men's Baloise - Trek Lions team. “This year I can defend my European title on a course where I have been the best for a number of years. I am certainly looking forward to that. And of course I want that rainbow jersey back," she pointed out.

“In addition, I also want to achieve some major victories. It's not realistic that I'm going to compete again in all classifications for first place," she admits. "I will possibly drop a number of classification crosses in function of the championships. That will of course depend on what happens this winter.”

Brand will however also want to target the American races early in the season. “At the end of August I did a training camp with the team, but before that it was not always possible to complete cross training. In other words, entering the competition early will help me to be good in America," the European champion concluded.