Setback at the Lenzerheide World Cup: Now the Olympic Games are in danger for Jolanda Neff

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Even with a new look, Jolanda Neff (30) is not on a roll at the home race in Lenzerheide. The Olympic mountain biking champion is back on her bike with blond hair, the brown tint of her curls is a thing of the past. Neff says of SRF: “A spontaneous decision, I didn’t expect it from myself.”

To get out of her low point, she has also made other adjustments since the World Cup opener in May. What does Neff not want to say after her 18th place. “I don’t want to go into details.” The shape crisis of St. Gallen also remains a mystery.

Neff is only a marginal phenomenon in Lenzerheide next to the acclaimed podium finish of Nidwalden-born Alessandra Keller (27), who fought the last meters. Second place in the SM last week behind Keller seemed to give courage.

Only fourth best Swiss in the home race

But now Neff crosses the finish line with no less than 3:17 minutes behind. “I’m just not in shape to move up. In Nove Mesto I was 15th, here I am 18th. That’s where I am now.”

The Luca Boost doesn’t help either. For the first time this season, Neff and her boyfriend, downhill pro Luca Shaw, are racing their World Cup races at the same venue. But even with Shaw by her side, the season remains a mess.

Not exactly rosy prospects for the World Cup in Leogang next week and the European Championship in Poland in two weeks. “Nothing magical happens, I can just keep working,” says Neff.

The problem: The qualifying period for the 2024 Olympics is already underway. And in Paris, each country is only allowed to register two participants. But in the home race, Neff is only the fourth best Swiss behind Keller, Linda Indergand (15th place after a defect) and Sina Frei (17th place).

Source : Blick