Peat crowned downhill world champ at last

After 16 years of trying, Britain's Steve Peat won the UCI downhill mountain bike world championship on Sunday.

Peat, 35, has been a dominant force in the world of downhill mountain biking for the best part of two decades, having won pretty much every major title available - bar one. On Sunday in Canberra, Australia, the big man from Sheffield finally beat the curse to win the coveted rainbow jersey by the slimmest of margins.

Peat beat South African Greg Minnaar by just 0.05 of a second to grab the title, with Michael Hannah (Australia) third at 0.69 of a second.

Last year's winner, Britain's Gee Atherton, placed sixth, 3.92 seconds behind Peat.

Peat's inability to clinch the world title - until now - hasn't been for want of trying, he's been runner-up on four occasions: 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2008. He's been UCI World Cup champion three times, British national champion eight times and European champion three times.

Earlier, Tracy Moseley had won silver for Britain in the women's event. She was beaten by Emmeline Ragot of France. The medals for Britain don't stop there - Danny Hart won bronze in the junior men's downhill event.