Gee & Rachel Atherton Targeting 2022 Racing Returns
Photos: Jack Tennyson
Gee and Rachel Atherton have announced they are targeting a 2022 racing comeback in a team release from Continental Atherton today.
Rachel hasn't raced in a World Cup since she ruptured her Achilles tendon in Les Gets, 2019. Following a long rehab process from a brutal injury, Rachel also announced her pregnancy in February 2021 and gave birth to her baby daughter Arna in August. Five months on, Rachel is apparently back on her downhill bike and it looks like she could be back between the tapes later this year.
Rachel said “Getting back to the races is a huge driver, to be on the podium again would be the dream. I feel amazing on the bike but the strength and fitness are coming a bit more slowly! I’m just taking things one step at a time, I’d like to race some UK Nationals first then we’ll see where I’m really at!”
Gee Atherton has also faced a lengthy rehab after his crash filming 'The Knife Edge' project in June. The crash left him with multiple injuries including, "including broken ribs, multiple fractures and breaks to his femur and wrists." His rehab is apparently going well and he is eying being back between the tapes soon. He said, "I’m missing being part of the action at the races and I’ve already got some big filming projects planned so I’m flat out on the rehab!"
Two New Faces Join Continental Atherton
Joining, Gee, Rachel, Charlie Hatton and Andreas Kolb on the Atherton team in 2022 will be two new riders, first year Junior Dominic Platt and Red Bull Hardline shredder Jim Monro.
Dom spent 2021 cleaning up the UK domestic scene as part of the Atherton Academy and will graduate into the Factory team with the blessing of Dan Atherton. Dan said “Dom is a natural racer. I’ve ridden with him loads at Dyfi and not only does he have natural talent but he’s always willing to put in the graft”
The second addition to the team came through another Atherton pathway but one less proven than the Atherton Academy. 20 year old Jim Monro moved to the Dyfi three years ago (the minute he finished his GCSEs no less) in a bid to push on his racing and to help Dan develop the bike park. As part of the Dyfi dig crew Jim’s work ethic and riding skills earned him a 2021 invite to Red Bull Hardline. Jim grasped the opportunity with both hands and delivered a stand-out performance, moving another step closer to his dream of World Cup racing. Gee Atherton said “We’ve always joked with Jim that he’d ride Hardline one day but I don’t think he ever took us seriously. He was always so flat out building that he’d never ridden a single feature, he was awesome!”
 | All riders will start the season onboard a final prototype of the mullet version of the AM200 with plans for the frame to go into full production in Spring . There has been a lot of excellent work over the off-season, both from the riders and the design team, so we’re chomping at the bit to hear the start beeps in Lourdes. |
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And happy people can be suffering internally. Worth noting
That’s bloody priceless mate I had to scroll back up to the top to see what you meant and yeah I couldn’t stop laughing lol
And I can hear Dan now, "I'm not wearing red shoes, not going to happen."
Gee on the other hand, I'm not so sure he's still got it. Last race win was years ago - was it the world champs in 2014 or something? That said, it would be beyond awesome to see him really give it a proper go one more time. I'm a big believer in mind over matter. If his head is truly back in the game I think he can do it. It would be one hell of a comeback.
That counts as a result for me.
Nationals and Hard Line don’t count because all the top dogs aren’t there and those that are don’t try 100%. (Bernard Kerr isn’t a top dog because he’s never won a World Cup race).
Anyway I digress. Gee is one of my fave riders and I would love to see him back at the top.
My missus was retired for 9 years from elite DH, in 2010 at 40 she got a wild hair while owning her clothing store and working 60hr weeks "Hey Stik, I wanna race world champs in MSA, 2010".....our daughter was 4, we we're busy...I thought it was stupid idea.
She ended up qualifying for worlds team, she came down first in the finals because she had no points, sat in the hot seat forever! ended up 8th I think, was the first american that day, so not a win, but pretty awesome that a business owner and mom could do that. I think Rachel had a shit run that day, she was right ahead of Leigh in 7th...i've got a pic of Leigh sitting on hot seat with our daughter (who had face paint from the pit carnival) and rachel did not look stoked to see a mom sitting there who she barely edged out haha, but like i said, I think Rachel had a shit run.
Point being, Rachel is much younger, Rachel is rachel and will be a threat.
I just threw up a couple pics
www.pinkbike.com/u/stiksandstones/album/2010-world-champs
I do remember your daughter with the face paint and Rachel not looking super happy, which is kinda funny now. I’m pretty sure her perspective on that day is a lot different now.
That conversation was between them, about life and what not, Leigh really enjoyed that chat.
Rachel is a f-ing bad ass and changed the game of modern DH, just like ACC did before her.
I can't believe I forgot, yes, a mother has won a world cup DH, don't remember the year (92?), But Regina Stiefl won a few world cups I think, and we were always tripping as 20-something yr olds "Damn, shes a mom! and winning world cups".
Gee on the other hand will carry on until he turns to dust...
Even if she is slower than her previous form, she’ll still be faster than most. Give’em hell, Rach.
Joking aside Dan is a top bloke & super friendly at Dfyi.
Now, people mean no harm when they say this stuff, meant as a compliment, but, I think part of that has to do with why she really wants nothing to do with bikes haha. There is built in pressure to be amazing at it.
Bummer of course, I spent years doing laps with her at the bike park when she was 8-12 yrs old and she's f-ing talented, has a natural gift, but, she's over it now, 16 yrs of being told she was gonna be world champ-when all she wanted to do was ride for fun, she never even entered a race in her life, had no interest because in the back of her head was always "oh my god, according to all these people, I am supposed to destroy the competition??".
There's my dumb story haha, happens all the time to children of legends (calling my wife the legend, certainly not me) and was not a good experience for our kid.
Let kids be kids and let kids be their own version of themselves.
And yeah, like you learning about basketball, we've learned about musical theatre, performances, etc, she got accepted into a performing arts high school, Grammy camp for songwriting and is talented in that field....of course we hope in her 20's she will rediscover bikes and ask us if we wanna go for a pedal? haha.
Well good luck to your daughter! and of course we all wish Rachel and the athertons luck!
You often see kids riding or doing tricks followed by the inevitable comments about "if he's already doing this trick, imagine what he'll be doing and such and such age". I'm sure these kids love what they are doing but I'm not so sure its a great environment long term.
All I can say f*ck success. Most of it is BS. Nearly every professional sport is sick and destroys its participants. I don’t mind Athertons doing whatever they want, but I do mind folks telling me that I either worship our idols, aspire to their holyness or I am a waste of air.
I would be happy and honored if my kids would ride with me from time to time. It is the only aport I can guide them in, but in the end, they are free to do whatever they want. My daughter loves Judo and mikeage on the bike. My son likes kickbikes and I fricking hate kods with kickbikes in the skatepark hahah.
If someone like racing, that’s cute, but someone has to do real jobs. I accept this call gladly and take responsibility for it. Inspiration is for noobs.
We get parents all the time, asking our brand "so, what does little johhny or katie have to do for you guys?! win races? send images? tag you in images" etc.....I try to keep it simple, "dont be a douche, share the excitement and love of cycling to their other little buddies, the goal is to get a kid on a bike, we don't care about results, or shreddits, just have fun and get more people excited about bikes"....that has really worked, pressure free from the brand-the parents are a whole other story, but im stoked to say most of the parents we've worked with are rad and understand this isn't NFL, etc.
It is kinda interesting, in 2015 or so, I made a big mission to 'get all the groms' and we had the raddest crew of groms and most of them still ride today, few of them are PRO RAMPAGE or PRO RACERS, but I still see them around many of them we still sponsor, but they still love riding bikes and still rip.
We have lost a couple groms to brands with big check books and parents (mostly over zealous fathers) going after the dough, the fame, the glory haha and we just don't really wanna get into bidding wars over it, and good for them getting some cash, the sport is growing, so who knows.
I rambled on, hope it shed some light.