Rachel Atherton will defend her leader’s jersey in the 2023 Downhill World Cup Round 2 at Leogang.
In one of the greatest returns to racing in the history of our sport, six-time World Champion and 39-time World Cup winner Rachel Atherton took the win at the first round of the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill in Lenzerheide last weekend. The British rider’s 40th World Cup Win comes after an extended break from competition and she has announced that she will take to the track again next weekend at Leogang.
Rachel admits that her victory hasn’t yet sunk in saying that the last 72 hours have been completely surreal.
Initially, her plans were to spend a couple of days in Lenzerheide on a family holiday before returning home to Wales to focus on her fitness prior to August’s World Championships at Fort William this August. However, the temptation to race again proved too strong. Rachel acknowledged that she isn’t yet racing on top form, and that two weekends back to back racing could be tough.
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I don’t want to be stupid and take risks, racing back to back is hard enough when you’re fully fit and strong and I don’t want to get hurt, I have a baby to take care of.
We talked about it all day Sunday, weighing up the pros and cons, trying to decide WHY I’m doing this. Part of me wants to stop now, no more racing, my last race a win, that was always the dream, but now I’m here I don’t want to stop…so it is decided.. I will go and race at Leogang and just see what happens. A small part of me wishes I didn’t win, because I don’t want any more pressure, I don’t want people to expect me to win or to go well again, I just want to race and ride and be there! |
Rachel’s 40th World Cup win means that she is within one victory of equalling Anne Caroline Chausson’s record for the most Downhill Wins ever… we’re in for an exciting weekend.
