World champion Rachel Atherton continued her comeback from injury with an impressive second place at round five of the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup in Lenzerheide.
The 29-year-old, who dislocated her shoulder at Fort William last month, was the last rider on course having qualified fastest and completed her run in 3:27.402 in Switzerland - half a second slower than French winner Myriam Nicole.
Tahnee Seagrave’s was fifth while Manon Carpenter finished in eighth.
One of a kind.
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) July 9, 2017
Less than six weeks after dislocating her shoulder, @rachelatherton is back on the #UCIMTBWC podium with nd in! pic.twitter.com/autJ1mkEKm
“I’m so stoked to be back in the mix,” Atherton said. “I never though after Fort William I’d be back on the podium so soon.
"I’m just so glad it’s over. It's such a short track but it’s so wild, before you know you’re halfway and absolutely hanging. I knew it was going to have to be a special run to beat Myriam and Tracey.
“I had a pretty good run then I messed up a corner at the bottom and blew wide and I was in the grass on the uphill as well. I thought ‘if I was in the lead I’ve thrown it away here’."
Seagrave is now third overall on 819 points with Atherton fifth on 637, having missed round three.
Atherton holds the record for most successive wins in the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup - a run of 14 victories that included a perfect 2016 season.
Third for Hart in men’s event
World champion Danny Hart took third in the elite men's event with a typically breath-taking run from the 25-year-old.
Go Hart or go home
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) July 8, 2017
World champ @DannyHart1 does not mess around on his way to third at the UCI MTB Downhill World Cup!#UCIMTBWC pic.twitter.com/QvjEzf1GIz
Hart topped the leader board with a run in 2:58.868 before Australian Troy Brosnan shaved nearly two seconds off Hart’s time.
World cup leader Greg Minnaar then showed why he tops the overall standings with an excellent run to stop the clock in 2:57.042.
Britons Laurie Greenland and Philip Atwill were fourth and fifth.
Hart now sits in seventh overall with two rounds remaining.