After a serious crash while mountain biking in North Carolina on 22 December 2019, doctors performed an emergency procedure - known as embolization - on Jolanda Neff to stop internal bleeding in her spleen. As the racing news portal Acrossthecountry first reported, Neff provided information via an interview with Trek Racing about her healing process:

"My spleen is still in my body, but it's dead. After the embolization, where the doctors blocked my artery to stop the bleeding, there is no more blood flow in my spleen. The spleen remains in my body, but the organ is dead." Neff goes on to say that the spleen is important for the immune system, but you can live without a functioning spleen. "I have to be super careful now so that the plug in the artery doesn't burst. That would lead to internal bleeding and require immediate emergency surgery," says the 27-year-old.

The next steps for Neff's recovery are as follows: "I have to keep my blood pressure low for the next three months because I have to be very careful with the blocked artery. The medical staff advised me to do very little exercise for three months. To make sure my blood pressure stays really low. Hopefully I can recover a bit quicker as an athlete and start cycling again in less than three months."

Asked about the racing calendar for the new year, Neff says: "I won't be riding again until after March. I'm flying back to Switzerland next week to plan how to proceed with the Swiss Olympic Team doctor, Patrik Noack. The more I rest, the faster I'll recover."

In addition to her state of health and race calendar, Neff also talks about her personal situation: "I've received so much support and love from everyone, it's overwhelming. I think I was really lucky in this situation because everyone reacted quickly and I received the best possible care. This is a very serious injury. I'm very glad it wasn't worse. I'm very grateful for the care I received from my boyfriend and his parents."