All-rounder
DOB 27-02-1991
AGE OF DIAGNOSIS 10
YEARS WITH TEAM 12
Dreams aren’t linear, they aren’t always a destination or an end goal. Dreams are the process and the journey. My mission is to change the world for those affected by diabetes and I hope that by racing my bike at the highest level with Team Novo Nordisk and by dreaming big I empower and provide hope for everyone affected by diabetes to chase their dreams too.
PROFILE
Sam Brand is now in his 12th year as part of Team Novo Nordisk and the Manxman has become an ever present and valuable teammate with 2025 once again proving to be another busy year of racing and the now 34-year-old an exemplary ambassador for the diabetes community.
Brand has been steadily building and developing into one of the team’s most dependable riders and a career highlight was representing the Isle of Man in the road race at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.
Turning professional with Team Novo Nordisk back in 2018, the now 33-year-old Brand has continued to progress and cemented his place as a key member of the team. The Manxman had a solid 2021 season, racing over 7,000km and achieving personal goals at Milan-Sanremo and the Tour of Denmark.
2019 was a breakthrough year on the bike and yielded some impressive results including wearing the King of the Mountains jersey for one stage at the Tour of Estonia and eventually finishing second overall in the mountains classification, finishing 16th overall at the Tour of Taihu Lake and laying down strong rides at WorldTour races including Milano-Sanremo, Amgen Tour of California and the UAE Tour.
Brand’s Team Novo Nordisk career officially began as a member of the elite triathlon team. In 2013, following his qualification to race at the ITU World Championships, he gained the attention of Team Novo Nordisk and joined the program the following season. In 2014, he finished 12th in his age group at the Nottingham Triathlon, a World Championship qualifier. The following year, he finished second at the British Triathlon Championships. After graduating from university in 2015, Brand decided to focus exclusively on cycling and moved over to Team Novo Nordisk’s development squad in the 2016 season.
Following a strong showing with the development squad, Brand debuted in the pro ranks as a stagiaire in August 2017 at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, also known as America’s Toughest Stage Race. He credits being selected as a stagiaire as the result of extremely hard work, dedication and support from his friends and family. Based on his performances at the Tour of Utah, Colorado Classic, Tour of China I & II and Tour of Hainan, he received his first professional contract for the 2018 season.
During his first pro season, he represented the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Games and successfully completed the longest one-day race on the UCI calendar, Milano-Sanremo after being added to the roster to the 300-kilometer race just days before.
Back in his final year of primary school, Brand experienced the usual diabetes symptoms and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 10. Brand’s friends, family and medical team were very supportive of him returning to football, basketball and all the other activities that he loved. He says his diagnosis had no negative impact on his childhood and is grateful for how his family and surrounding community handled the adjustment.
Throughout high school, the Isle of Man native competed in a variety of sports. His father competed for Great Britain at the triathlon age group level, so the younger Brand soon started competing in local triathlons. It wasn’t until his first year at university that he took the sport seriously. He quickly excelled and within a year found himself representing Great Britain at the 2013 ITU World Championships.