![\"2013E7WomenPodium.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-45719900-1378056832.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nFrom left: France’s Emmeline Ragot (second), Great Britain’s Rachel Atherton (first) and Australia’s Tracey Hannah (third) celebrate on the podium in the elite women’s downhill at the UCI MTB and Trials World Championships 2013 at Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Darren Goddard\/Gameplan Media<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Rachel Atherton (Great Britain) raced to victory in the elite women’s downhill at the UCI MTB and Trials World Championships 2013 at Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Darren Goddard\/Gameplan Media<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As the year\u2019s form competitor launched herself out the blocks, the last of the female starter, thousands packed around the course soaking up the spectacle watched her as she blitzed her way to victory by over eight seconds, a massive margin on the international stage.<\/p>\n \u201cI am just so happy right now,\u201d exclaimed Atherton shortly after crossing the finish line. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long time coming with me having won my last title in 2008 and so I was starting to wonder if it would ever come again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI really wanted to these rainbow stripes so I\u2019m just really stoked to have done it today!<\/p>\n \u201cIt was really tough but I heard all the people screaming and yelling on the pedally section and I was just like \u2018Dig, dig dig!\u2019 the whole way to the finish! I was in absolute agony and I think I\u2019ll need a whole seas of salt to recover but that was wild!\u201d<\/p>\n Despite having never competed on the Maritzburg dance floor previously Atherton looked completely at home from the get go and hardly put a pedal stroke wrong throughout the week\u2019s action.<\/p>\n So dominant were her efforts throughout the event that not even second place finisher Emmeline Ragot\u2019s final run (4.36.675) on Sunday afternoon could compare with Atherton\u2019s official timed session run (4.35.013) on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n \u201cI looked to treat yesterday\u2019s timed run like a World Cup\u2019s qualifier because I needed to know just how much it would hurt and exactly how quick I could go. Thankfully it all came together for me today,\u201d said Atherton.<\/p>\n Despite her best efforts Ragot had to settle for second place however it will be a silver medal that stays with the French star for many years to come.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d been hoping for a win for sure but to get a medal is still pretty good and second is not too bad,\u201d said Ragot.<\/p>\n \u201cThe track was really fun out there and there were a lot of people on the course. Unfortunately I just hit a tree early on and from then on I knew I couldn\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Emmeline Ragot (France) claimed the silver medal in the elite women’s downhill at the UCI MTB and Trials World Championships 2013 at Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Darren Goddard\/Gameplan Media<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Having been out the fifth rider out starting blocks and across the line, Australia\u2019s Tracey Hannah had occupied the leader\u2019s hot seat for eleven riders until Ragot and Atherton\u2019s efforts left her twelve seconds off the pace and into the bronze medal position.<\/p>\n Her third place finish still being a remarkable achievement though considering she broke her collar bone just seven weeks ago.<\/p>\n \u201cThe World Champs had been the focus of my year up until my injury so I came here with not all that higher expectations,\u201d said Hannah. \u201cI\u2019ve only been on my bike for three days since I broke my collar bone so winning a medal had never been in my thoughts at any stage before the race.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs I finished and saw I was ahead of Caroline I knew I was in with a shout and after being in the hot seat for some time I got more and more nervous as each rider came down but you just never know until the very end. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m still really really happy though!\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n