Rachel Atherton leads World Cup charge

The Oswestry-based ace, the reigning world champion, brought home her 27th World Cup win.

It extendrf her record as most successful British mountain-biker in the history of the sport in her first international race for new sponsors Trek Bicycles.

It was a dramatic weekend at Lourdes for the start of the 2016 downhill mountain bike season on a crazy track dubbed 'brutal' by competitors.

Spurred on by a super-enthusiastic French crowd amid changeable weather, Atherton stormed home in three minutes 50.38 in a British one-two-three.

She was almost four-and-a-half seconds ahead of Tahnee Seagrave 3.54.55, while the third Brit, Manon Carpenter, came in third, in a time of 4.00.64.

Ten years after her first World Cup victory in Brazil, it was another terrific showing from Atherton who continues to go from strength to strength.

She said: "The crowd here have been wild,. Tahnee had gone so fast in qualifiers that I knew it had to be all or nothing, crash or win! I'm so proud to be British right now."

Qualifying had taken place on a track made treacherous by a week of rain.

In this race too, the Brits dominated with 20-year-old Seagrave taking the win by a 4.5 second margin with Atherton second and Carpenter in third.

In the men's Elite race, Atherton's brother Gee took seventh place while their team Trek Factory Racing has taken the early lead for the series.

Atherton will be hoping for more success next week after being nominated for a Laureus World Sports Award. She is up for an Action Sportsperson award against top opposition.

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill, swimmer Adam Peaty, the triumphant Great Britain Davis Cup team and world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury are also in the running.