Jolanda Neff wins again in cyclocross and achieves her first two victories with Cannondale in the discipline

Jolanda Neff has made a grand return to cyclocross. The Swiss rider, who in recent years had relegated this discipline to a secondary role while spending much of the winter in the U.S., put on a race number again this weekend at the North Carolina Cyclo-Cross, one of the oldest events on the American calendar. And she did so by taking two consecutive victories, her first wins in CX since joining Cannondale Factory Racing.

Jolanda Neff returns to cyclocross with a double win in North Carolina 

On both days, Saturday and Sunday, in C2 category events, Neff dominated with authority. On the first day, she won with a time of 48:06, surpassing Lizzy Gunsalus (+0:39) and Lauren Zoerner (+1:09) by a comfortable margin. And twenty-four hours later, she repeated her victory, this time with 51:19, again ahead of Gunsalus (+0:16) and Zoerner (+0:36).

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jolanda Neff (@jolandaneff)

These results confirm that she still possesses a level of technical skill in the mud that is above average, even without specifically preparing for the discipline. And she has returned to compete with ease, something she hasn't always been able to say in recent years.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

RECOMENDADO

The Cyclocross World Cup kicks off this week in Tabor

The exclusive Pinarello Dogma F worth €20,000 belonging to Jorge Martín has been stolen

What explains the decline in sales of Canyon?

These are the lightest 50 mm profile aero wheels in the world

A unique piece that will not be put up for sale, this is the Berria Belador for the Moto2 World Champion

"It would be naive to think that it is clean": Marcel Kittel gives a thorough review of current cycling and points out the biggest change the sport has experienced

A post shared by Jolanda Neff (@jolandaneff)

Although Neff already knew what it was like to win in Hendersonville, having done so in 2022, this double victory holds special value as it marks her first wins in cyclocross with Cannondale, the team she joined at the beginning of the 2025 season to relaunch her career in XCO.

Her move to Cannondale has also coincided with a key year for the Swiss rider. After respiratory issues that took a long time to diagnose and even led her to withdraw from participating in the Paris 2025 Olympics, 2025 has marked a gradual recovery. While she has not yet returned to her best form, she has been back racing at the front, making it into the top 5 of the World Cup, and regaining sensations she hadn't felt in years.

Beyond her performance, Neff remains one of the most beloved figures in the MTB circuit. Her aggressive style on the bike, her way of competing, and a charisma that is quite uncommon in elite cycling have made her one of those riders capable of generating enthusiasm just by showing up at the start line.