Dan Atherton is “an inspiration to a generation of bikers” One of the world’s greatest bike handlers he’s renowned as a trail-building “creative genius”, who created Dyfi Bike Park and Red Bull Hardline. He built his first bike when he was 10 years old.
The career of Dan Atherton can be divided into two distinct parts. Until he broke his neck at C1 vertebrae in 2010 while dirt jumping, he had had a series of top flight results in BMX, downhill and 4X, including a 4X National Championship in 2004, numerous World Cup podiums and a 4X World Cup win in Andorra in 2008.
Following the accident, he came back fitter and leaner than ever before, but this time concentrating primarily on the emerging Enduro discipline. In 2012, he won convincingly at the Superenduro Pro 6 Finale Ligure, taking five out of five stages from a stacked field, as well as emerging victorious from the mass start Maxi Avalanche in Andorra.
He was many people’s pick to win the inaugural Enduro World Series title in 2013, but, after securing podium finishes in rounds one and three of the competition, he dislocated his left shoulder at the Mountain of Hell. Incredibly, he popped his shoulder back in so that he could finish the race, but he sat out the remainder of the season, his involvement only extending to supervising his teammate, the young Belgian rider Martin Maes.
Growing up in Somerset, Dan started racing mountain bikes at the age of 15, and it wasn’t long before he had brother Gee and sister Rachel hooked too. All three siblings have gone on to experience great success on the mountain biking world stage, although Dan is the quieter of the three, known for his versatility, extraordinary work ethic and his prodigious trail-building skills.