cycleXperience is the result of Daphny van den Brand and Johan van de Ven meeting during the 1995 European Mountain Bike Championships in Spinderluv Mlyn, Czech Republic.
When Daphny ended her cycling career in 2012 to make room for the arrival of children, it was a logical step to bring together Daphny's and Johan's experience on and around cycling, in a new project. That was the birth of cycleXperience.
The first bicycle shop was started from the garage in their home. But the garage soon became too small and they had to move to premises on the industrial estate in the village of Zeeland.
Not long after, Daphny and Johan got the offer to take over a bike shop in Uden, which eventually led to cycleXperience moving to Uden. Even this location soon proved too small for cycleXperience's ambitions and success.
A new move to the premises of the former Jan Linders supermarket (on the same street) solved that problem in 2018. And that's where you can find the cycleXperience House of Champions today.
The First Meters
Daphny made her first metres on her racing bike when she was 8 years old. Even at a young age, she rode in several races and even won regularly in races in which boys competed. Her strongest point soon turned out to be the sprint, in which she almost always managed to beat her competitors. Her talent did not go unnoticed. In 1993, she was invited for the Dutch junior selection. Thus began her impressive cycling career, and the rest is history.
Young Talent
In 1989, at his mother's insistence, Johan traded in all his dirt bikes for his first mountain bike. By then, tinkering with two-wheelers was already a great passion, but he also turned out to be very talented on the bike. At the age of 15, he started riding his first regional races. Soon he also achieved international success. In 1993, he became the first Dutchman to win an international medal at the European Championships in Klosters, Switzerland.
Johan and Daphny
In 1994, Daphny was invited by national coach Leo van Zeeland to the European Mountain Bike Championships in Špindlerův Mlýn in the Czech Republic. During this European Championship, Johan also competed for the Dutch team. This is where Johan and Daphny met and the spark immediately clicked. Pfeiffer's disease put an abrupt end to Johan's mountain bike career. From then on, he focused on Daphny's career as a coach and mechanic.
World champion!
Johan and Daphny proved to be a successful team. After numerous National titles and three bronze medals at the World Championships, she became cyclocross world champion at 25 in Monopoli, Italy (World Championships 2003). This was actually only the start of her impressive record of achievements. She later became European champion four more times and extended her National titles -after numerous battles with Marianne Vos- to 11.
cycleXperience
After Daphny's career, Johan plunged back into his first passion: tinkering from his garage. This is where he started his first shop for bikes and maintenance. Soon, the garage became too small and they moved to a larger location in Zeeland. After three moves in five years, and ambitious as they are, they bought the former Jan Linders supermarket in Uden and converted it into the cycling paradise it is today: cycleXperience, where they receive enthusiastic and like-minded cycling enthusiasts every day, for whom they gladly go the extra mile.
The First Meters
Daphny made her first metres on her racing bike when she was 8 years old. Even at a young age, she rode in several races and even won regularly in races in which boys competed. Her strongest point soon turned out to be the sprint, in which she almost always managed to beat her competitors. Her talent did not go unnoticed. In 1993, she was invited for the Dutch junior selection. Thus began her impressive cycling career, and the rest is history.
Young Talent
In 1989, at his mother's insistence, Johan traded in all his dirt bikes for his first mountain bike. By then, tinkering with two-wheelers was already a great passion, but he also turned out to be very talented on the bike. At the age of 15, he started riding his first regional races. Soon he also achieved international success. In 1993, he became the first Dutchman to win an international medal at the European Championships in Klosters, Switzerland.
Johan and Daphny
In 1994, Daphny was invited by national coach Leo van Zeeland to the European Mountain Bike Championships in Špindlerův Mlýn in the Czech Republic. During this European Championship, Johan also competed for the Dutch team. This is where Johan and Daphny met and the spark immediately clicked. Pfeiffer's disease put an abrupt end to Johan's mountain bike career. From then on, he focused on Daphny's career as a coach and mechanic.
World champion!
Johan and Daphny proved to be a successful team. After numerous National titles and three bronze medals at the World Championships, she became cyclocross world champion at 25 in Monopoli, Italy (World Championships 2003). This was actually only the start of her impressive record of achievements. She later became European champion four more times and extended her National titles -after numerous battles with Marianne Vos- to 11.
cycleXperience
After Daphny's career, Johan plunged back into his first passion: tinkering from his garage. This is where he started his first shop for bikes and maintenance. Soon, the garage became too small and they moved to a larger location in Zeeland. After three moves in five years, and ambitious as they are, they bought the former Jan Linders supermarket in Uden and converted it into the cycling paradise it is today: cycleXperience, where they receive enthusiastic and like-minded cycling enthusiasts every day, for whom they gladly go the extra mile.
About Daphny van den Brand
At cycleXperience, we are naturally very proud of 'our Daphny'! After all, our leading lady is one of the figureheads who put women's cyclo-cross in the Netherlands on the map.
And of course you don't just become 11 times Dutch champion, 4 times European champion AND World cyclocross champion! It takes talent, a lot of determination and, of course, hard work.
That's why it's only natural that we're hosting the first episode of the new cycleXperience vlog 'The Road Towards' dedicated to Daphny telling her story herself.
