Golden success for Atherton at UCI Mountain Biking Champs MyZA

Rachel Atherton (Great Britain) raced to victory in the elite women’s downhill at the UCI MTB and Trials World Championships 2013 at Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg. Photo: Darren Goddard / Gameplan Media

World number one Rachel Atherton of Great Britain proved precisely why she has been the one the rest of the globe’s top elite women downhillers have been chasing all year as she destroyed the competition en route to her gold medal and world title at the UCI MTB Trials World Championships in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday afternoon.

As the year’s form competitor launched herself out the blocks, the last of the female starter, thousands packed around the course soaking up the spectacle watched her as she blitzed her way to victory by over eight seconds, a massive margin on the international stage.

“I am just so happy right now,” exclaimed Atherton shortly after crossing the finish line. “It’s been a long time coming with me having won my last title in 2008 and so I was starting to wonder if it would ever come again.”

“I really wanted to these rainbow stripes so I’m just really stoked to have done it today!

“It was really tough but I heard all the people screaming and yelling on the pedally section and I was just like ‘Dig, dig dig!’ the whole way to the finish! I was in absolute agony and I think I’ll need a whole seas of salt to recover but that was wild!”

Summary of results – UCI MTB and Trials World Championships

Womens elite downhill

1.Rachel Atherton (GBR) 4:28.043
2.Emmeline Ragot (FRA) 4:36.675
3.Tracey Hannah (AUS) 4:40.438
4.Jill Kintner (USA) 4:41.468
5.Caroline Buchanan (AUS) 4:41.655
6.Morgane Charre (FRA) 4:43.680
7.Emilie Siegenthaler (SUI) 4:46.312
8.Casey Brown (CAN) 4:46.568
9.Floriane Pugin (FRA) 4:48.812
10.Micayla Gatto (CAN) 4:48.949

For more UCI MTB Trials World Championships news, click here.

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