Rachel Atherton's Most Honest Interview Yet

Rachel Atherton is one of the greatest downhill mountain bike racers of all time. With 40 UCI Downhill World Cup victories, six overall titles, five elite World Championships and the only perfect World Cup season in history, Rachel achieved almost everything the sport could offer. In this deeply honest conversation with Davi and Olly, Rachel opens up about what happened when winning stopped defining her. Recorded at Dyfi Bike Park in Wales, Rachel discusses motherhood, suffering a serious postpartum haemorrhage during the birth of her second daughter and the difficult recovery that followed. She explains why she felt torn between motherhood and racing after having her first child, her experience of postpartum depression and why winning her 40th World Cup at Lenzerheide left her feeling unexpectedly empty. Rachel also reveals why she eventually stepped away from racing, how injury changed her priorities and why discovering a new purpose has sometimes felt harder than winning a World Cup. The conversation explores the loneliness and pressure of dominating downhill, how her relationship helped separate her identity from her results and the hidden workload that comes with being the fastest rider in the world. This is Rachel Atherton beyond the race results. We hope you enjoy the episode. Get early access & ad-free episodes → https://www.patreon.com/theridecompanion This episodes sponsors: - It's ALMOST winter/night riding time! Check out the brand new Six Pack 15 handlebar light & Zenith 4 helmet light at https://www.exposurelights.com - Looking to book an RV or a camp site for an EPIC adventure? You can also support our long term partners: Marin Bikes → marinbikes.com/gb Focus Bikes → focus-bikes.com SRAM: sram.com/en/sram adidas FiveTen: adidas.co.uk/five_ten Igloo → igloocoolers.com/ Feedback Sports: feedbacksports.com Follow The Ride Companion Instagram @theridecompanion YouTube @TheRideCompanion Olly Wilkins Instagram @odub_23 YouTube @owilkins23 YouTube clips and BTS channel @moreridecompanion Get official Ride Companion merch, find old episodes and more theridecompanion.co.uk 📝 Contact Us & Business: https://theridecompanion.co.uk/pages/contact Edited By: Doug Tucker, onlyflightdispatch.com & TRC Media House