Coming back after career-threatening crash, Neff leads Swiss sweep of medals in women's mountain biking

Sina Frei and Linda Indergand tried to chase down their countrywoman but never had a chance. They were left battling among themselves, at one point riding side by side.

Switzerland's gold medalist Jolanda Neff center, silver medalist Sina Frei, left, and bronze medalist Linda Indergand (19) celebrate at the finish line. (Photo | AP)

IZU: Jolanda Neff won the women’s mountain bike race at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, leading a Swiss sweep of the medal stand while capping a long comeback from a career-threatening crash in the North Carolina mountains.

Sina Frei and Linda Indergand tried to chase down their countrywoman but never had a chance. They were left battling among themselves, at one point riding side by side, before Frei pulled ahead to take silver and left Indergand with bronze.

Neff took the lead when world champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot crashed on a slippery section of rocks on the first loop in the mountains southwest of Tokyo.

She soon built her advantage to more than a minute over a field that included France's Loana Lecomte, the winner of every World Cup race this season, and reigning Olympic champ Jenny Rissveds.