The crew traveled around the globe weekend after weekend to the big races - and with great success. Rachel won the World Mountain Bike Downhill Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and also secured the overall World Cup victory in the same discipline. Brother Gee finished the World Cup season in second place and Marc Beaumont came 20th. In the team classification, the "GT Factory Racing Team" ended up in first place. The team's shooting star Martin Maes secured his first ever junior title in the "Enduro World Series", while the second newcomer Taylor Vernon is still recovering from a serious crash. The team's many competitions naturally also meant that team manager Dan Brown and mechanic Piotr "Polish Pete" Michaliszyn were constantly on the job.

How would you describe your 2013 season in one sentence?
Rachel Atherton: Almost perfect! Gee Atherton: A strong year with room for improvement.
Dan Atherton: Short and disappointing! I'm doing everything I can to get back on track in 2014. But a great season for Rach and Martin!
Marc Beaumont: Very frustrating at the end of the day. It seemed like things never worked out as planned during the races. But that made me stronger and hungrier for 2014...
Martin Maes: Great - I loved every minute of it and learned so much. I'm already looking forward to 2014!
Taylor Vernon: I learned the hard way. Similar to Affy. I'm getting ready for 2014.
Dan Brown: It almost went according to plan!

Rachel, what was the best moment: when you were given the World Cup winner's jersey in Saalfelden Leogang or receiving the rainbow jersey at the World Championships in South Africa?
Rachel Atherton: Probably the rainbow jersey... I stood on the podium at the World Championships, touched the jersey and suddenly realized that I had made it. I thought about the fact that there might never be another world title for me. I stood there, thought about the road to get there and was happy.

Have you celebrated your world championship title properly yet or did you have to wait until the end of the season? Rachel Atherton: I went out to celebrate after the race at the World Championships. It was the first time in two years that I'd been out celebrating after a race! It was super fun dancing with Marc Beaumont and I enjoyed every minute of getting my groove on!

What tires did you start with at the last race in Saalfelden Leogang?
Rachel Atherton: I had actually decided to ride a specialist tire for dry surfaces - the "Kaiser Projekt" from Continental. Alternatively, I could have chosen a cut "Mud King", which I prefer to ride in damp conditions because it was still a bit wet on top. At the World Championships, I put a "Kaiser Projekt" on the front and a super-cut "Mud King" on the back.

Gee, have you already digested missing out on the World Cup title at the weekend in Saalfelden Leogang? What's your motivation for next year?
Gee Atherton: Yes, of course it was tough, but the motivation to improve is still there.

Dan, how important is winning the team ranking in the overall World Cup?
Dan Brown: The title of "Fastest Team" won't mean much to the average viewer, but it means a lot to us - I suppose to all the teams. It's recognition for the tremendous efforts of the whole team.

What do you think can be improved in terms of team performance for next season?
Dan Brown: A lot! We are still a long way from where we want to be. We'll probably never quite get there, but that's what makes this job so good - we're all constantly striving to improve.

What are your goals for next year?
Rachel Atherton: I want to win and become physically stronger than ever before. I would like to see how strong I can get.
Gee Atherton: To win the overall Downhill World Cup - and to try and keep my crown jewels intact at least once (Gee hit them hard in a training crash in Canada. Editor's note).
Dan Atherton: The Enduro World Series. But I'll probably squeeze in a few Downhill World Cups in between - I've really missed them.
Marc Beaumont: At the moment I'd like a bit of consistency (laughs). I know I can achieve podium finishes - I've proven it in the past. I'm already looking forward to 2014!
Martin Maes: Getting faster, stronger and more skilled on the bike.
Taylor Vernon: Getting back on track and getting through a whole season. Riding fast but smooth, consistency will be the key. And I don't want to rush things. I have a lot of years ahead of me, but it would be cool to get on the podium along the way.

How many hours do you work per week and what are your main activities?
Rachel Atherton: I don't know. Countless hours! At a World Cup, my day starts at 06:30 and ends at 22:00 when I go to bed. During the off-season, I train for an average of 5 hours a day.
Gee Atherton: What is 24/7? Well, maybe around 60 hours most weeks - more during the season...
Dan Atherton: I spend a lot of time planning. Then training twice a day, up to two hours per session.
Marc Beaumont: During the pre-season it adds up quite a bit. There's always something to do, usually two training sessions a day, three times a week. I also focus a lot on working on my skills on the downhill bike.
Martin Maes: For me, the biggest challenge is balancing everything with school. But even with training, I still have some time for myself.
Taylor Vernon: With my back keeping me from riding and training as hard as I should, I routinely do certain exercises and light training to get myself back on track. I'd say about 15 hours a week just for the gym and swimming alone.
Dan Brown: As many as it takes - seven days a week in the summer. I don't even want to start counting the hours. I'm always thinking that winter could be a bit quieter.
Piotr Michaliszyn: A few! On a race weekend, it can go on until midnight, then get up again at 06:30. That easily adds up to 80 hours. In the off-season, 40 hours a week.

Piotr, as a mechanic you are responsible for fine-tuning the bikes and, of course, the tires. What does your choice of tires depend on and which tires do you use for which conditions?
Piotr Michaliszyn: We walk the track and make a decision based on our experience. We tend to use "Mud Kings" when it's wet or very dry, for extra grip in the dust. In between, it's always a "Kaiser project".

What do you think are the biggest challenges in your sport?
Rachel Atherton: Staying mentally strong during injuries ...
Gee Atherton: Deciding when it makes sense to take a risk (usually not as often as I think...).

How do you see the downhill sector developing in the coming years?
Rachel Atherton: Since the last race I've had a lot of requests from mainstream media and I'm finding that downhill is getting noticed by a wider audience - which is great! I think we'll see more 'non-downhill' sponsors as well as more participants and the percentage of women in the sport will continue to grow hugely.
I hope that the courses will become more difficult, longer, more challenging. That means riders will have to train harder and better, with equipment to measure everything during a race - from power output to cadence and heart rate, we can develop our bodies as well as our bikes.
Dan Brown: I think there will be a continuation and development of Red Bull's excellent work with the live webcasts and mainstream TV coverage will be added.

What does your winter look like? Are you going on vacation?
Rachel Atherton: A snorkeling vacation with fish and turtles would be pretty cool!
Gee Atherton: Of course! Only the location and company are still open.
Dan Atherton: No! There's too much to do - getting back to fitness, getting some things done for the 2014 Atherton building project...
Marc Beaumont: Yes, I have a little time off riding motocross with friends. I'm also doing a bit of renovation on my house, a really slow process.
Martin Maes: Definitely!
Taylor Vernon: No vacation for me. I'm concentrating on being able to ride races again in 2014. I don't want to bum around, I'd rather work hard so that I can enjoy the races again. They are like a vacation for me. What more could you want?
Dan Brown: No! My second child is on the way in December so there won't be time for a vacation.
Piotr Michaliszyn: Maybe after the tests, but then the real work starts on my new house.

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