Mountain Biking World Cup from Fort William

Skyler: Report from Fort William

The third race of what already appears to be one of the most dramatic Mountain bike World Cups to date, hit hard and fast at Scotland’s notorious Fort William tracks. With recent injuries plaguing ‘Team Atherton’, every race was a battle. This couldn’t be truer for racer Dan Atherton, who despite nursing a broken scapula managed to qualify in a healthy third in the 4x, storming through the heats and pedalling to the sound of thousands of ‘Affy’ fans to narrowly miss out in the quarter finals. Risky moves which could have seen him through to the finals were abandoned. “I couldn’t risk my break getting any worse; bummed out about the results, I would have loved to win in front of a home crowd”.

Rachel Atherton’s tragic injury earlier this year left her unable compete at the 2009 World Cup, giving her the equally painful consolation of having to watch the sport she’s built her life upon on the side lines. “It’s tough, for any racer to be out of the sport, especially because of injury. I don’t ride for the wins; I ride for fun which is why it’s been so hard”. Although away from her bikes, she’s enjoying supporting her brothers and plotting her post-recovery victories, “I’m getting used to being out of the sport now, but next year I’m gonna be bad ass! Dominate everything and really push women’s riding, and hopefully compete in Red Bull Rampage and the World Champs.”

 Race day and the final competitor of the men’s down hill was standing in the gate, ready. Greg Minnaar had already set a blinding time of 4:38.98 and the atmosphere was so thick, I think I ate some. Everyone’s eyes and ears all ready for that one announcement, their champ. “Gee Atherton is off!” those four words were more than enough to bring the whole of the mountain to ecstasy; cow bells clashing, horns roaring and the avid watchers climaxing as the home racer flew along the track; bike and rider a single piece of well oiled machinery and in the mind set for complete domination.

At the first stage he was just 0.106 seconds off the lead but by the time he reached the lower part of the course and broke through the finish line, he had lost a total of 2.99 seconds off the leading time and was obviously devastated, shaking his head in disappointment while the crowd cheered and wept, letting him know just how admired he is. Though small, those few seconds were enough to put the current World Champion down to fourth position but up to third overall, leaving the rest of the World Cup wide open.

Always optimistic, Gee is focused and determined to put this event behind him and own the next four races, aiming to take another mountain biking world title.

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