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May 16, Elite women downhill:

Atherton marks World Cup return with a win

By:
Rob Jones
Published:
May 16, 2010, 14:54,
Updated:
May 17, 2010, 17:09

Jonnier, Pugin seal podium spots for France

Rachel Atherton (Commencal) took the women's World Cup series leader's jersey in Maribor, Slovenia.

Rachel Atherton (Commencal) took the women's World Cup series leader's jersey in Maribor, Slovenia.

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Rachel Atherton (Commencal) proved that a year away from racing has not affected her downhill skills, as she became the first World Cup Downhill leader in the 2010 series, in Maribor, Slovenia, on Sunday.

The opening round of the downhill saw a slight easing overnight of the rain that had turned the four cross into a mud bath, which wasn't necessarily a positive thing, since it made the course sticky and slower. Atherton, returning to competition after sitting out last season due to a shoulder injury and subsequent surgeries, did not have a good start to the weekend after crashing in qualifying and having to ride with a broken finger from a race a week earlier.

Her early seed meant that she started fourth, but the 2008 World Champion blazed the course, the fastest at every split, beating second placed Sabrina Jonnier (Rocky Mountain-Maxxis) by 10 seconds and Floriane Pugin (Scott 11) by 13 seconds.

Myriam Nicole (Commencal Superiders), who had qualified first, was on a fast run until breaking her rear derailleur and having to coast the second half of the course; still managing an impressive fourth. Canada's lone entry, Claire Buchar (Chain Reaction) finished seventh, the best North American.

"It hasn't sunk in yet; I can't believe it," said Atherton after her run. "I never thought I'd win, this being my first World Cup race back, and my [broken] finger made it hard to hang on. I came here hoping for a top five, so maybe being relaxed and having fun is the way to have a good run."

Full Results
1 Rachel Atherton (GBr) Commencal 0:04:03.420  
2 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 0:00:09.730  
3 Floriane Pugin (Fra) Scott 11 0:00:12.910  
4 Myriam Nicole (Fra) Commencal Superiders 0:00:15.500  
5 Petra Bernhard (Aut) RC Alpine Commencal Austria 0:00:18.970  
6 Mio Suemasa (Jpn) FFC 0:00:19.420  
7 Claire Buchar (Can) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense 0:00:20.590  
8 Tracy Moseley (GBr) Trek World Racing 0:00:20.690  
9 Emilie Siegenthaler (Swi) Scott 11 0:00:21.760  
10 Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Suspension Center 0:00:23.570  
11 Céline Gros (Fra) Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie 0:00:28.390  
12 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco World Team 0:00:35.080  
13 Katy Curd (GBr) 0:00:35.440  
14 Manon Carpenter (GBr) 0:00:38.430  
15 Harriet Rucknagel (Ger) 0:00:39.250  
16 Jessica Stone (GBr) 0:00:46.670  
17 Fanny Lombard (Fra) 0:00:57.350  
18 Miriam Ruchti (Swi) DR-Gravity Union 0:01:01.830  
19 Birgit Braumann (Aut) 0:01:02.260  
20 Morgane Charre (Fra) 0:01:49.510  
 
Teams
# Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Scott 11 88  pts
2 Commencal 75  
3 Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense 64  
4 Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz 60  
5 Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 57  
6 Santa Cruz Syndicate 55  
7 Trek World Racing 45  
8 MS Evil Racing 35  
9 Commencal Superiders 34  
10 RC Alpine Commencal Austria 28  
11 Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team 24  
12 Kona 23  
13 Mondraker Factory Team 22  
14 Suspension Center 21  
15 Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie 20  
16 Lapierre International 19  
17 Norco World Team 19  
18 Dr-Gravity Union 13  
19 GT Bicycles 13  
20 Giant Factory Team 11  
21 Massi Team 8  
22 Blackmountain Morewood United 7  
23 Team Sunn Montgenevre 6  
24 Dirt Norco Race Team 5  
World Cup Individual ranking after round 1
1 Rachel Atherton (GBr) Commencal 200 pts
2 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 185  
3 Floriane Pugin (Fra) Scott 11 180  
4 Myriam Nicole (Fra) Commencal Superiders 175  
5 Petra Bernhard (Aut) RC Alpine Commencal Austria 130  
6 Mio Suemasa (Jpn) FFC 111  
7 Claire Buchar (Can) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense 92  
8 Tracy Moseley (GBr) Trek World Racing 84  
9 Céline Gros (Fra) Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie 80  
10 Emilie Siegenthaler (Swi) Scott 11 65  
11 Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Suspension Center 55  
12 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco World Team 45  
13 Katy Curd (GBr) 40  
14 Manon Carpenter (GBr) 35  
15 Jessica Stone (GBr) Trek Gravity Girls 35  
16 Harriet Rucknagel (Ger) 30  
17 Fanny Lombard (Fra) 20  
18 Miriam Ruchti (Swi) DR-Gravity Union 15  
19 Birgit Braumann (Aut) 10  
20 Morgane Charre (Fra) 5  
World Cup Team Ranking after round 1
# Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Scott 11 88  pts
2 Commencal 75  
3 Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense 64  
4 Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz 60  
5 Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 57  
6 Santa Cruz Syndicate 55  
7 Trek World Racing 45  
8 MS Evil Racing 35  
9 Commencal Superiders 34  
10 RC Alpine Commencal Austria 28  
11 Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team 24  
12 Kona 23  
13 Mondraker Factory Team 22  
14 Suspension Center 21  
15 Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie 20  
16 Lapierre International 19  
17 Norco World Team 19  
18 Dr-Gravity Union 13  
19 GT Bicycles 13  
20 Giant Factory Team 11  
21 Massi Team 8  
22 Blackmountain Morewood United 7  
23 Team Sunn Montgenevre 6  
24 Dirt Norco Race Team 5