![\"2013GeeAtheron.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-50604500-1374777129.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nBritain’s Gee Atherton (GT Factory Racing) is looking to overcome his poor run of form in Pietermaritzburg after a string of good performances as he builds towards the UCI MTB and Trials World Championships.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/span><\/strong>athertonracing.co.uk<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/a>\/Gameplan Media<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Both the GT factory Racing stars have been in imperious form this year having won the first two UCI World Cup meetings of this year\u2019s season in Fort William and Vale de Sole, both a family and sporting first, and now places them in pole position heading into the calendar\u2019s pinnacle event which takes place in Africa\u2019s \u201cBike City\u201d from 26 August – 1 September. <\/p>\n Despite Gee having raced in Pietermaritzburg a handful of times previously, this year\u2019s World Champs will be the first time for Rachel will be performing at Cascades MTB Park, making it a little more difficult for her to get a grip on the conditions and the track.<\/p>\n \u201cI have never been to PMB. I\u2019ve missed all the World Cup rounds there due to injuries, so I am excited to finally see the track!\u201d Rachel said. \u201cI have heard it\u2019s very pedally, and I have heard it\u2019s very technical up the top, so I am feeling good that those two things are what I love to race, like the rest of our team members.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite his familiarity with the Cascades course Gee has, however, had poor fortune in Pietermaritzburg in past with a third in 2011 his best results to go with a fifth in 2009 and fourth last year.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had some good races there, but at the same time I\u2019ve made mistakes at all of them that cost me a lot of time, so I know I\u2019m fast on that track,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The scope for improvement provides Gee with the drive needed to take on the track with pace and precision with his recent form giving the GT Factory racing rider good confidence that he will perform well in Pietermaritzburg. <\/p>\n \u201cI like the course on the whole. It\u2019s fast and fun to ride and definitely challenges the riders physically,\u201d he mentioned.<\/p>\n \u201cThe bike I\u2019m riding gives me a lot of confidence going into PMB. The GT Fury is a fast bike on any terrain, it pedals well and it\u2019s comfortable on the steep and flat alike.\u201d<\/p>\n Britain’s Rachel Atherton (GT Factory Racing) will be hoping to make her first appearance in Pietermaritzburg a good one as she tackles the UCI MTB and Trials World Championships after previously missing out due to injury.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo: <\/span><\/span><\/strong>athertonracing.co.uk<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/a>\/Gameplan Media<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Apart from the course itself, Atherton will need to overcome stiff opposition from his fellow competitors with hometown hero and current World Champion, Greg Minnaar, undoubtedly set to be a major factor in this year\u2019s title challenge.<\/p>\n Despite both Gee and Rachel expecting tough field much of their focus in the build up to the event is on themselves with rest and making sure they\u2019re at their physical peak come August. <\/p>\n \u201cFor me it is important to go in well rested. We worked hard in the off season and came into the season very fit, so it\u2019s just about maintaining that strength and keeping the momentum going,\u201d mentioned Gee.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it is important for me to come into World Champs well rested because my body picks up little injuries pretty easily, but I will still be doing a lot of power sprint work over the next couple of weeks,\u201d added Rachel.<\/p>\n Despite their recent form having raised the expectations of their supporters, an apparent level headedness from the duo appears to have them relatively calm in their approach to the global event.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s just wait and see what happens,\u201d said Gee of his expectations ahead the event as he keeps his cards particularly close to his chest.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously everyone racing wants to win, and I am no different. Racing is in my blood and is my life so I can’t wait to see how things turn out!\u201d said a somewhat more animated Rachel.<\/p>\n The UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships takes place at Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg from 26 August to 1 September 2013, and will be preceded by the UCI MTB Masters World Championships from21 to 25 August. More information can be found at www.mtbworldchamps.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Pietermaritzburg – Current men\u2019s and women\u2019s world number one Downhill mountain bikers Gee and Rachel Atherton of Great Britain head into the UCI MTB and Trials World Championships in Pietermaritzburg hoping to become the first siblings to not only be top of the world rankings, but become reigning World Champions as well. Britain’s Gee Atherton […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":53197,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[3345,4952,975,3851],"featured_location":[],"class_list":["post-21692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-atherton","tag-gee-atherton","tag-mtb-world-champs","tag-rachel-atherton"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21692"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21692\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21692"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=21692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a><\/p>\n