Last weekend, Rachel Atherton made an impressive return to downhill mountain bike racing in Lenzerheide, earning her 40th World Cup win, it was also Atherton’s first race since placing sixth at the same track in 2022. Before that, the six times World Champ hadn’t been seen at a start gate since 2019 when she snapped her Achilles tendon in Les Gets. Her absence from racing was also extended when she gave birth to her daughter, Arna, in 2021.
After her fairytale win in Switzerland, she had said post-race that she would not race this coming weekend, however, the draw of the big race day atmosphere has proven too strong. With the winning feeling still fresh, she has has a change of heart and heads to Leogang, acknowledging it will be tough, and the pressure and weight of expectation after her win, is now even higher.
