Atherton marks World Cup return with a win

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."

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Full Results
1Rachel Atherton (GBr) Commencal0:04:03.420
2Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain0:00:09.730
3Floriane Pugin (Fra) Scott 110:00:12.910
4Myriam Nicole (Fra) Commencal Superiders0:00:15.500
5Petra Bernhard (Aut) RC Alpine Commencal Austria0:00:18.970
6Mio Suemasa (Jpn) FFC0:00:19.420
7Claire Buchar (Can) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense0:00:20.590
8Tracy Moseley (GBr) Trek World Racing0:00:20.690
9Emilie Siegenthaler (Swi) Scott 110:00:21.760
10Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Suspension Center0:00:23.570
11Céline Gros (Fra) Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie0:00:28.390
12Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco World Team0:00:35.080
13Katy Curd (GBr)0:00:35.440
14Manon Carpenter (GBr)0:00:38.430
15Harriet Rucknagel (Ger)0:00:39.250
16Jessica Stone (GBr)0:00:46.670
17Fanny Lombard (Fra)0:00:57.350
18Miriam Ruchti (Swi) DR-Gravity Union0:01:01.830
19Birgit Braumann (Aut)0:01:02.260
20Morgane Charre (Fra)0:01:49.510
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Scott 1188pts
2Commencal75Row 1 - Cell 3
3Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense64Row 2 - Cell 3
4Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz60Row 3 - Cell 3
5Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain57Row 4 - Cell 3
6Santa Cruz Syndicate55Row 5 - Cell 3
7Trek World Racing45Row 6 - Cell 3
8MS Evil Racing35Row 7 - Cell 3
9Commencal Superiders34Row 8 - Cell 3
10RC Alpine Commencal Austria28Row 9 - Cell 3
11Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team24Row 10 - Cell 3
12Kona23Row 11 - Cell 3
13Mondraker Factory Team22Row 12 - Cell 3
14Suspension Center21Row 13 - Cell 3
15Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie20Row 14 - Cell 3
16Lapierre International19Row 15 - Cell 3
17Norco World Team19Row 16 - Cell 3
18Dr-Gravity Union13Row 17 - Cell 3
19GT Bicycles13Row 18 - Cell 3
20Giant Factory Team11Row 19 - Cell 3
21Massi Team8Row 20 - Cell 3
22Blackmountain Morewood United7Row 21 - Cell 3
23Team Sunn Montgenevre6Row 22 - Cell 3
24Dirt Norco Race Team5Row 23 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
World Cup Individual ranking after round 1
1Rachel Atherton (GBr) Commencal200pts
2Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain185Row 1 - Cell 3
3Floriane Pugin (Fra) Scott 11180Row 2 - Cell 3
4Myriam Nicole (Fra) Commencal Superiders175Row 3 - Cell 3
5Petra Bernhard (Aut) RC Alpine Commencal Austria130Row 4 - Cell 3
6Mio Suemasa (Jpn) FFC111Row 5 - Cell 3
7Claire Buchar (Can) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense92Row 6 - Cell 3
8Tracy Moseley (GBr) Trek World Racing84Row 7 - Cell 3
9Céline Gros (Fra) Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie80Row 8 - Cell 3
10Emilie Siegenthaler (Swi) Scott 1165Row 9 - Cell 3
11Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Suspension Center55Row 10 - Cell 3
12Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco World Team45Row 11 - Cell 3
13Katy Curd (GBr)40Row 12 - Cell 3
14Manon Carpenter (GBr)35Row 13 - Cell 3
15Jessica Stone (GBr) Trek Gravity Girls35Row 14 - Cell 3
16Harriet Rucknagel (Ger)30Row 15 - Cell 3
17Fanny Lombard (Fra)20Row 16 - Cell 3
18Miriam Ruchti (Swi) DR-Gravity Union15Row 17 - Cell 3
19Birgit Braumann (Aut)10Row 18 - Cell 3
20Morgane Charre (Fra)5Row 19 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
World Cup Team Ranking after round 1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Scott 1188pts
2Commencal75Row 1 - Cell 3
3Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense64Row 2 - Cell 3
4Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz60Row 3 - Cell 3
5Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain57Row 4 - Cell 3
6Santa Cruz Syndicate55Row 5 - Cell 3
7Trek World Racing45Row 6 - Cell 3
8MS Evil Racing35Row 7 - Cell 3
9Commencal Superiders34Row 8 - Cell 3
10RC Alpine Commencal Austria28Row 9 - Cell 3
11Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team24Row 10 - Cell 3
12Kona23Row 11 - Cell 3
13Mondraker Factory Team22Row 12 - Cell 3
14Suspension Center21Row 13 - Cell 3
15Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie20Row 14 - Cell 3
16Lapierre International19Row 15 - Cell 3
17Norco World Team19Row 16 - Cell 3
18Dr-Gravity Union13Row 17 - Cell 3
19GT Bicycles13Row 18 - Cell 3
20Giant Factory Team11Row 19 - Cell 3
21Massi Team8Row 20 - Cell 3
22Blackmountain Morewood United7Row 21 - Cell 3
23Team Sunn Montgenevre6Row 22 - Cell 3
24Dirt Norco Race Team5Row 23 - Cell 3

 

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Latest on Cyclingnews