Bio
Over the years, Rachel Atherton has become a major player in downhill racing. After winning a host of categories in 2005, she was named Times Young Sportswoman of the Year and hasn’t looked back since.
Indeed, she totally dominated the women’s downhill circuit in 2008, winning the World Cup overall and taking World Championship gold. On her way to the World Cup, overall she took four World Cup wins, and only missed out on a top two finish at one race, in Fort William.
Rachel was hit by a truck during pre-season training while out on a road cycle, and took time out to recover, but returned fighting fit and proved she was worthy of world titles after taking an impressive number of victories in 2010 to leave her in seventh place overall in the UCI Women's Elite downhill ranking.
2011 saw improvement to fourth overall and 1,365 points, only a slender 21 points behind third-placed Frenchwoman Myriam Nicole, with victory in her home race at Fort William and in the final event of the season at Windham on the way.
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