Charlie Hatton and Valentina Holl win the World Downhill Championship

Charlie Hatton weathered better than anyone the rain that fell on Fort William and stopped the clock six tenths before Andreas Kolb to wear for the first time the coveted rainbow jersey that accredits him as World Champion. In the women's category, the victory went to Valentina Holl, who conquered the world downhill throne for the second time.

Charlie Hatton wins his first World Downhill Championship and Valentina Holl wins her second rainbow jersey

The Glasgow Super World Championships are giving us a few days of intense competition (MTB World Championship guide and track and road guide) and the first medals have already been handed out. The DH final held this Saturday awarded the most precious jersey in the world to Charlie Hatton and Valentina Holl.

The rain made Hatton's victory a little more special, an extra touch of pepper for a discipline that already carries risk and difficulty in its identity card. The 25-year-old Briton was a surprise and beat all his rivals. A feat that gives him the privilege of wearing the rainbow for the first time in his career as an Elite professional.

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Greg Williamson was one of the first big guns to set a time to be reckoned with, although as the minutes went by his time was polished and the Briton had to settle for eighth place in the end.

"It's crazy. I'm speechless. I knew I was good this weekend, but I never expected the win. I'm speechless," Hatton declared at the end of the event. The medal serves to leave the United Kingdom at the top of the provisional metals standings with six golds.

World Downhill Championships 2023 Results - Men's

1. Charlie Hatton 4'26"747
2. Andreas Kolb 4'27"346
3. Laurie Greenland 4'27"976
4. Loic Bruni 4'28"236
5. Troy Brosnan 4'28"259
6. Loris Vergier 4'29"176
7. Ángel Suárez 4'29"211
8. Greg Williamson 4'29"681
9. Benoit Coulanges 4'29"772
10. Dakotah Norton 4'30"473

On her side, Valentina Holl retained the title of World Champion with two seconds ahead of Camille Balanche and Marine Cabirou (who fortunately has already forgotten the three broken vertebrae of last year), who accompanied her on the podium. Second time she inscribed her name in golden letters as the best downhill rider on the planet after her triumph in 2022.

Holl is a DH gem and is set to be one of the dominators of the specialty over the next decade, having achieved the milestone of wearing the rainbow jersey twice at just 21 years of age. It should be remembered that she also won in the Junior category in 2019 and 2018.

From the beginning, the British women made a strong bid for the gold with the likes of Tahnée Seagrave, Louise Ferguson, Phoebe Gale and Rachel Atherton, but were eventually overtaken by Holl. The Austrian won the first gold medal for her country, in addition to Andreas Kolb's silver and Stefan Kirchmair's bronze.

World Downhill Championships 2023 Results - Women's

1. Valentina Höll 4'58"242
2. Camille Balanche 5'00"262
3. Marine Cabirou 5'00"603
4. Louise-Anna Ferguson 5'07"963
5. Phoebe Gale 5'08"743
6. Tahnee Seagrave 5'08"764
7. Gloria Scarsi 5'09"681
8. Rachel Atherton 5'11"290
9. Eleonora Farina 5'12"411
10. Anna Newkirk 5'12"843