Rachel Atherton

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Rachel Atherton


fullname = Rachel Laura Atherton
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1987|12|6
country = ENG
GBR
height =
weight =
currentteam = Animal Commencal
discipline = BMX & MTB
role = Rider
ridertype = Downhill
amateuryears =
amateurteams =
proyears = 2007-2008;
proteams = Animal Commencal
majorwins =
updated = 2 June 2008

Rachel Laura Atherton (born 6 December 1987, near Salisbury) is a professional racing cyclist specialising in downhill mountain bike racing, and is a multiple national champion. She began BMXing at the age of 8 and mountain biking at the age of 11. [cite web|url=http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/mtb/News2006/20060416_rachel_atherton_interview.asp |title=Rachel Atherton Interview |publisher=British Cycling |date=16 April 2008] She was The SundayTimes' Sportswoman of the Year [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb.php?id=news/2005/nov05/nov23mtbnews |title=Atherton awarded Young Sportswoman|publisher=Cycling News|date=November 2005] and BBC Midlands Junior Sportswoman of the Year in 2005. [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/articles/2005/12/05/sports_personality_rachel_atherton_feature.shtml |title=Rachel wins BBC Midlands title|publisher=BBC Shropshire|date=5 December 2005]

In 2007, Rachel Atherton joined the Animal Commencal race team along with brothers Dan Atherton and Gee Atherton.

In June 2008 Rachel Atherton became the first British woman to win the Elite UCI Downhill World Championship, defeating second placed Sabrina Jonnier by 11.99 seconds in the final. [cite web|url=http://www.uci.ch/Modules/ENews/ENewsDetails.asp?id=NTg1NQ&MenuId=MTI1OTU&BackLink=%2Ftemplates%2FUCI%2FUCI5%2Flayout.asp%3FMenuId%3DMTI1OTU |title=Gee and Rachel Atherton will remember the 21st of June 2008 for a long time|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale|date=21 June 2008]

Palmarès

;2002:1st flagicon|GBR DH, British National Mountain Biking Championships - Youth

;2004:1st flagicon|GBR DH, British National Mountain Biking Championships

;2005:1st European Mountain Bike Championships:1st flagicon|GBR DH, British National Mountain Biking Championships:1st DH, UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships - Junior

;2006:2nd DH, British National Mountain Biking Championships:3rd DH, UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships, Rotorua:1st DH, European Mountain Bike Championships:1st Lisbon Downtown Championships:1st DH, UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, Round 5, Balneario Camboriu:3rd Overall DH, UCI Mountain Bike World Cup

;2007:2nd DH, UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships, Fort William:1st DH, UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, Round 5, Maribor:1st Maxxis Cup, Round 1:1st Sea Otter Classic DH:3rd Sea Otter Classic DS:1st NPS DH, Round 1:1st NPS DH, Round 3, Moelfre:1st NPS DH, Round 4, Caersws:2nd NPS DH, Round 5, Innerliethan:1st Fat Face Night Race:1st Edinburgh Street Race

;2008:1st DH, UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, Vallnord, Andorra:1st Maxxis Cup, Gouviea, Portugal:1st Alpine Bikes Winter series, Scotland:1st Elite Women's Downhill, UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships, Trentino, Italy

References

External links

* [http://www.athertonracing.co.uk athertonracing.co.uk]
* [http://www.animalcommencal.com/ animalcommencal.com]
* [http://www.descent-world.co.uk/ARCHIVE_PRE2005/html/interview/rachelatherton.htm "Interview: Rachel Atherton", Douglas Cook, Descent World, 2004]
* [http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb/2007/sep07/mtbworlds07/?id=/riders/2007/interviews/athertons07_part1 "An interview with the Athertons", Steve Thomas, Cycling News, 6 September 2007]