Rachel Atherton needs no introduction with a racing CV like no other, including six World Championship titles and six World Cup overall titles, that includes the perfect season in 2016 when she won all seven World Cup rounds. She has been out of racing since 2019 after suffering a snapped Achilles tendon injury while competing in the World Cup at Les Gets. Although she has been out of racing and the recovery from injury has been slow and at times painful, life has been far from uneventful with the birth of her daughter Arna, the launch of Atherton Bikes and helping along with brothers Dan and Gee in building the reputation of Dyfi Bike Park as the best downhill mountain bike park in the business.
Having previously met Rachel on a trip to Dyfi Bike Park where I had the absolute honor to ride her own Atherton AM.200 after some pedal confusion meant a last-minute swap to her very special super specced bike. I then proceeded to chase her AKA follow very slowly, and a little know rider by the name of Jim Monro down the Super Swooper at Dyfi in what was quite the day. Riding the six times World Champs' bike as she leads you down a trail at her own bike park was pretty epic, to say the least.
