The 2017 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup heads back to Britain this weekend as the world’s best downhill riders go head-to-head at Fort William.

Record-breaking Rachel Atherton will attempt to extend her incredible unbeaten streak on home ground while fellow Brit and world champion Danny Hart is among the favourites in the men’s competition.

Elite women

Rachel Atherton (Trek Factory Racing DH) currently holds one of the greatest winning streaks in world sport - having won the last 14 downhill world cup races, in a run dating back to 2015.

The four-time world champion, who has won three of the last four world cup rounds at Fort William, heads an impressive list of female riders.

Tahnee Seagrave (Transition Bikes / FMD Factory Racing) poses the biggest threat to Atherton’s record. The 21-year-old out-qualified Atherton in the opening round of the world cup in Lourdes, only to finish third.

Australian Tracey Hannah (Polygon UR) split the Brits in France and heads north of the border alongside Radon Factory Downhill Team’s Manon Carpenter, fifth in the opening round but with a Fort William win under her belt already this season in the second round of the HSBC UK | National Downhill Series.

Elite men

World champion Danny Hart will be hoping for more of the same in Scotland this weekend.

The MS Mondraker Team rider also took the win in the recent National Downhill Series round at Fort William and was third there in last season’s world cup.

Hart will also have his eyes on the weather forecast - his chances of a win in France scuppered by mid-competition rainfall that handed early starter Alexandre Fayolle (Polygon UR) his first ever world cup win, with the Frenchman hoping to repeat his win this weekend.

Britain’s highest finisher in Lourdes was Gee Atherton, who took 10th - but the Trek Factory Racing DH rider won’t be competing in Scotland.

Atherton crashed out at the same venue during the National Downhill Series earlier this month and suffered a dislocated hip, ruling him out of action.

Other British challenges for the top positions are likely to come from riders including Laurie Greenland (MS Mondraker Team) and Greg Williamson (Cube Global Squad protected by Bliss) while last year’s Fort William winner, the South African Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and American Aaron Twin (The YT Mob) could also be in contention.

Schedule

Saturday 3 June

12.15pm: Junior women qualifying
12.30pm: Junior men qualifying
1.30pm: Elite women qualifying
2pm: Elite men qualifying

Sunday 4 June

10am: Junior women final
10.30am: Junior men final
1pm: Elite women final
2pm: Elite men final

How to follow

• Watch the elite men’s and elite women’s races live on Red Bull TV with highlights from 7pm on Sunday evening on the BIKE Channel
• Follow @BritishCycling for updates on Twitter
• Report will appear on the British Cycling website
• Limited tickets available onsite only for both Saturday and Sunday