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Current men's and women's world number one downhill mountain bikers Gee and Rachel Atherton of Great Britain are heading into the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:UCI Mountain Bi🐻ke World Championships in Pietermaritzburg lℱater this month with high hopes. The pair previously won both of their respective elite woꦍrld championship titles together in Val di Sole, Italy in 2008.

The two 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:GT factory Racing stars have been in imperious form this year, having won the first two UCI World Cup meetings of this year's season in Fort William and Vale de Sole.  Rachel also won the recent 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Andorra World Cup while Gee was second. The are now in the pole position heading into the calendar's pin🎀nacle event which takes place in Africa's "Bike City" from August 26 to September 1.

Despite Gee having raced in Pietermaritzburg a handful of times previously, this year's world championships will be the first ti🍸me 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.

"I have never been to Pietermaritzburg. I've ♏missed all the World Cup rounds there due to injuries, so I am excited to finally see the track!" Rachel said. "I have heard it's very pedally, and I have heard it's very technical up the top, so I am feeling good that those two things are what I love to ܫrace, like the rest of our team members."

Despite his familiarity with the Cascades course, Gee has, however, had poor fortꩲune in Pietermaritzburg in past with a third in 2011 his best results to go with a fifth in 2009 and fourth last year.

"I've had some good races there, but at the same time I've made mistakes at all of them that cost me a lot of time, so I know I'm fast 🧸on that track," he said.

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.

"I like the course on the whole. It's fast and fun to ride and definite𝐆ly challenges the riders physically," he mentioned.

"The bike I'm riding gives me a lot of confidence going into Pietermaritzburg. It pe𝕴dals well and it's comfortable on the steep anꦉd flat alike."

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 (Santa Cruz Syndicate), undoubtedly set to be a major factor in this year's title challenge.

Despite both Gee and Rachel e✨xpecting tough field, much of their focus in the build up to the event is on themselves with rest and making sure they're at their physical peak come August.

"For me it is important to go in well rested. We worked hard in theꦿ off season and came into the season very fit, so it's just ab𝔍out maintaining that strength and keeping the momentum going," said Gee.

"I think it is important for me to come into world champs well rested because my body picks up little injuries pre𝓀tty easily, but I will still be doing a lot of power sprint work over the nex൲t couple of weeks," said Rachel.

Despite their recent form having raised the expectations of their supporters, an apparen𝔍t level headedness from the duo appears to have them relatively calm in their approach to the global event.

"Let's just wait and see what happens," said Gee of his expectations ahead the event as he keeps his cards partic♛ularly close to his chest.

"Obviously everyone racing wants to win, and ꦍI am no different. Racing is in my blood and is my life so I can't wait to see how 🎶things turn out!" said a somewhat more animated Rachel.