[Closed] Rachel Atherton

Should be? Yes
Is? Don't know it's voted by mainstream journo's

Also Murray could do Wimbledon
Wales did a Semi Final
etc.
Froome could do another Tour?
Olympics coming up...

Olympic year no chance unfortunately, if Jessica Ennis Hill does well expect her to win it. Rachel has been phenomenal though.

She should be, but she won't be.

She may have been nominated and turned it down.

Well Chrissy Wellington never won it or was even on the radar, so what hope has Rachel got? Much better to give it to some overpaid popularist sport person to enhance their sponsorship value.

Didn't she get a "young SPOTY" back when she was a junior?

But really does it matter? It's just acknowledgment that sofa-based experts are aware of you. It's not a proper competition as such...

She deserves it, but that's not the way it will work out.

Would be great if she at least got nominated, raising her and the sports profile would be great, especially the work she has done to try and get more women riding.

I was sort of close Wikipedia says:

...She was both Sunday Times' Sportswoman of the Year and BBC Midlands Junior Sportswoman of the Year in 2005, and then BBC Midlands Sportswoman of the Year in 2008.

I think it would be brilliant to get nominated. There is often a relatively unknown on the list - no - she won't win, but wouldn't it be great to showcase mountain biking to young women on a major platform?

no,no one in the real world apart from people who post here know who she is or in fact that DH MTB exists so no, she won't win it

Rocketdog, 2nd race in a row she has been mentioned on the BBC sport pages. Getting more coverage.

If Jessica wins another Gold she'll be spoty by a country mile

Hamilton could well be F1 WC again. Murray another Wimbledon.

Rachel has been phenominal but not sure thats better than any of the above

I think she's good a good chance of being on the shortlist. Because a) she's a woman and b) she'll be World Champion.

Just needs somebody to lobby the panel members on her behalf.

Lets face it, if British Cycling can't even be bothered, despite the fact Brits (boys and girls) regularly fill all 3 of the podium steps at a world level , what chance is there of the average man in the street voting for her?

Always amazes my why anyone gives a toss about SPOTY.

I see Murray played his joker today: He cried on court. If that doesn't win him the title, I don't know what will

[Well done Murray, by the way]

DH is a minority sport and, bar a small group of fellow mountain bikers, she's not well known. Add in that it's an Olympic year so you have Jess Ennis et al in our thoughts, then add that Andy Murray has just won Wimbledon, then add a potential 3rd Tour for Froome, a gold and 3 or 4 stages wins for Cav, Hamilton winning the F1 title and who knows what else and she'll do well to get on the highlights package.

As great as she is, she's the top of a competitive field of about 6 other other women. The rest of the women's pro DH riders are so far back that the top 6 are pretty much in their own race.
For this reason alone she'll probably never be picked for SPOTY.

Murrays a complete bell end, genuine shame he won.

Hmmm...

And 3 of the top 4 women are British? Where's the wider coverage? I know this is a niche sport, but there's a lot of sports that are followed and supported keenly by people who don't get involved themselves.

Ski Sunday anyone? lots of people ski, but not many hurtle downhill like the pro's do... lots of people tune in to watch it.

Lots of people ride bikes too.

maxtorque - Member
Lets face it, if British Cycling can't even be bothered, despite the fact Brits (boys and girls) regularly fill all 3 of the podium steps at a world level

Yeah, I thought it was pretty weird and grim for BC to be tooting about DHWC victories on twitter this weekend, with videos bearing their watermark, given they seem to have contributed sweet **** all to DH.

Why is Murray a "bellend"?