Jolanda Neff will line up in Namur this Sunday for her first World Cup cyclocross appearance since 2021, marking a significant and unexpected return to top-level cross for the 32-year-old Swiss star. The preliminary start list for the iconic Citadel race already featured Mathieu van der Poel, Tibor Del Grosso and, expectedly, Puck Pieterse. Neff’s name adds an extra layer of intrigue to what is traditionally one of the most demanding rounds of the season.
A rare return to elite cyclocross
Neff has barely raced in the discipline in recent years, focusing primarily on mountain bike competition. Her last appearance in a World Cup came in October 2021 in the United States, where she rode the three early-season American rounds:
- 4th in Waterloo
- 12th in Fayetteville
- 19th in Iowa
She also won a C2 race in Waterloo that same week.
Before that, Neff was a regular force in the 2018-19 winter, racing a full European block that included 5th in Namur, victory at the New Year’s cross in Baal, wins at Meilen and the Swiss Championships, and 6th at the World Championships in Bogense. Namur 2025 will therefore be her first European cyclocross race since that 2018 campaign.
Photo Credit: GettyTwo wins already this season
Neff signalled her renewed interest in cyclocross last month by contesting a pair of C2 races in North Carolina, winning both Hendersonville I and Hendersonville II with decisive late-race kicks. It was a continuation of a trend, as she also won Hendersonville I back in 2022. Those results suggested she was sharpening her technical and race-intensity skills, but few expected her to step immediately back into a World Cup.
Namur, with its steep climbs, greasy off-cambers and relentless elevation changes, is one of the most physically punishing tests on the calendar. It also happens to be a course where Neff has excelled before, finishing 5th in 2018 and showing climbing prowess that suits the citadel’s profile.
A multi-discipline champion returns
Neff’s pedigree across disciplines needs little introduction. She is the reigning Olympic mountain bike champion from Tokyo 2021 and the former world cross-country champion. She has long balanced mountain bike and occasional cyclocross campaigns, using both to refine the explosive handling and climbing ability that define her career.
Her early cyclocross seasons included consistent top-five World Cup results and the national title, but her programme became increasingly selective as her mountain bike ambitions took precedence.
This weekend marks her first step back onto European cyclocross soil in seven years, and doing it at one of the toughest rounds on the circuit is a bold choice that speaks to her condition and motivation.
What to expect in Namur
Neff arrives in good shape after her two C2 victories, but Namur will be a far sharper test, with Pieterse, Van der Poel and Del Grosso also using the race as a key part of their winter debuts. The long climbs and heavy terrain at the citadel suit her strengths, and her technical handling has always been an asset on this course.
Whether she can challenge for a result at World Cup level after such a long absence remains to be seen, but her presence alone adds compelling depth to a race already stacked with narrative.
Namur has a reputation for producing memorable performances. Neff has delivered them there before. Her return guarantees that all eyes will be watching to see whether she can do it again.
