Gee and Rachel Atherton take double win at British Downhill Nationals

Gee and Rachel Atherton took another double victory at the British Downhill National Champs this weekend in their beloved Llangynog. It was their fifth consecutive double win of the season and their second consecutive double win at the British National Champs, but it wasn't all plain sailing - Steve Peat pushed Gee Atherton hard all the way.

Rachel Atherton was first up for the qualifying runs. The course was dusty and fast - and the riders loved it. After Friday's track walk Rachel tweeted, "Hell Yeah, national Champs track looks dope! Rhys 'Powy' Evans and Gareth "Gazzy B" Brewin have done sterling work" and after Saturday's practise runs, "Miiiint day practising - so dry and dusty the locals won't come out!"

Rachel Atherton put in a storming qualifying run, to land 12 seconds clear of Manon Carpenter with a time of 3.39.627

Come finals she went faster still. Clocking a remarkable 3.38.81, 7.4 seconds clear of Manon and 24 seconds clear of Jess Stone who took the third.

Rachel Atherton said, "That was such fun! And it means so much to both of us wear the British Champs jersey for another year - I really treasure it - especially having won it here in Llangynog."

With Taylor Vernon and Marc Beaumont nursing injuries, Gee Atherton was next up. He qualified second to Steve Peat with a time of 3.25.176. Peat was 1.17 seconds ahead. Come finals it was agonisingly close - indeed it looked as if Peat would prevail as he took time out of Gee Atherton at the split but a mistake in the lower section cost him the race and he dropped back into 13th position.

Gee said, "I was stoked to take another win alongside Rach, especially on such a fantastic track and in our home village and I'm so proud to ride around the world in thje British Champs jersey, but I'm gutted for Peaty, It's not the way I wanted to win it - I really thought he had me there."

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