Atherton arrives in the Northeast of Italy having become the first rider to have completed a perfect UCI Mountain Bike World Cup season with victory in Andorra on Saturday (September 3).

The 28-year-old will again be the one to beat when the women's downhill competition comes to the fore on Sunday (September 11).

The defending champion's challengers are expected to be Australia's Tracey Hannah, who won junior gold in 2006, Atherton's compatriot Manon Carpenter and Frenchwoman Miriam Nicole.

Atherton's team-mate Danny Hart comes into the World Championships as one of the favourites in the men's competition as the Briton has won the last three World Cups.

American Aaron Gwin, overall World Cup winner for 2016, will be aiming to secure his maiden world title, while South African Greg Minnaar will bid for a fourth crown.

Defending champion Loïc Bruni of France is likely to be another contender despite his injury-plagued season to date, with the men's event due to be held on the same day as the women's.

Races in the four cross discipline will take place first, with the timed seeding runs for women and men scheduled for Thursday (September 8) before the finals occur the following day.

Anneke Beerten of The Netherlands, who clinched the world title last year, is set to do battle with Caroline Buchanan of Australia in the women's competition, with Czech riders Tomas Slavik and Jan Svub, Austria's Hannes Slavik, Quentin Derbier of France and 2015 Champion Aiko Göhler of Germany among the podium challengers in the men's event.

The UCI claim the track, created for the 2008 World Championships, is "among the most stunning and challenging courses in the world".

Organisers anticipate around 30,000 spectators will visit Val di Sole for the Championships.