Step Inside Emil Johansson’s Battle With Autoimmune Disorders

You might know Emil Johansson from his monumental success as a slopestyle mountain biker, with podium-topping runs on the FMB World Tour and Crankworx, including winning Red Bull Joyride in 2019. However, in between his near-perfect riding, Johansson has battled with Epstein-Barr virus and Hashimoto’s disease, leaving him unable to ride or train for months at a time. This week, he’s lining back up to fight for slopestyle gold at Crankworx Rotorua.

RELATED: Watch the Teaser for TGR’s Accomplice

Battling autoimmune diseases was a long road for the young Swede. “Before I got diagnosed, I didn’t know what was going on," he says, "Why is this happening to me, over and over again? Why am I getting sick and why I am feeling miserable? It’s really hard for me to stay healthy while training hard and it’s tough mentally to be comfortable with taking a step back, thinking about the future, rather than just riding flat out all the time."

Emil's winning run at Red Bull Joyride. Paris Gore photo.

Keep an eye out for Johansson in TGR’s newest mountain bike film Accomplice, dropping this Spring.