Fans of cyclocross had to go years without Jolanda Neff’s presence, but the Swiss star is back. This coming Sunday, she will make her return to a World Cup cyclocross race in Namur—for the first time in four years. And it doesn’t stop there, as Neff plans to compete in many Belgian cyclocross races and quite possibly the World Championships in the near future.
With Mathieu van der Poel, Tibor Del Grosso, and Puck Pieterse in the field again at Namur, many familiar cyclocross riders will return, but the start list also features a notable name: Jolanda Neff. The Swiss top contender last raced in a World Cup event four years ago.
In recent years, Neff hardly showed herself in cyclocross at all, especially not at the highest level of the discipline, but that is about to change. From Namur through to the race in Gullegem (January 3), she aims to line up at as many as eight Belgian cyclocross events within three weeks, although she has yet to specify exactly which races those will be.
Neff can’t wait to race again at the highest level. “Maybe because it’s been so long,” says the world and Olympic mountain bike champion in Het Nieuwsblad. “The winter of 2018-2019 was the last time I came to Belgium to race cyclocross. I’m really looking forward to my return, simply because Belgium is the heart of cyclocross.”
photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
“A ‘new’ challenge”
“It’s part of your culture. I don’t find this anywhere else: the experience, the atmosphere, the cheers from the crowd. Spectators are in holiday spirit; it’s always fun to do. I definitely come for the unique vibe, but the beer is for my father,” she laughs.
But why is Neff stepping back into cyclocross after several years away? “At the end of last season, when we were making plans towards 2026, my coach said we needed to look for a new challenge. To try something different, not the usual build-up towards summer again. And since the first mountain bike World Cup event is only scheduled for May, a return to cyclocross seemed like an ideal challenge.”
World Championships participation
Now that Neff is back in cyclocross, she wants to make an impact. “Eight races sounds like a lot, but if I’m in Belgium anyway, I might as well race. I know some courses—like Baal, where I scored my only Belgian win back in 2019—other courses I need to discover. After Gullegem, I’ll return to Switzerland for the national championships. The World Championship in Hulst remains an option.”
