Sam Gaze wins historic mountain bike cross country world championships silver medal

Commonwealth Games champion Sam Gaze became the first elite Kiwi rider to win a world championship medal in mountain bike cross-country with a courageous silver medal in the elite men’s race in Scotland today.

The Alpecin Deceuninck professional, who won the short course rainbow jersey earlier in the competition, pushed up from over 30 seconds behind in 36th place, moving into medal contention on the penultimate lap.

He closed on the leaders, passing the legendary multi world champion Nico Shurter on the final lap to finish runner-up to Olympic champion, Tom Pidcock (GBR).

New Zealand’s Trek Factory professional Anton Cooper, also swamped on the opening loop, pushed through the field to finish 10th with both riders forced to work their way through the tightly packed field on a testing course at Glentress, near Peebles in the Scottish Borders.

It brought the overall New Zealand tally to an outstanding 13 medals, with eight on the track and now five in mountain bike.

That has taken New Zealand into the top 10 of nations in the all-time MTB World Championship medal tally with 29 medals, overtaking Denmark.

With three laps remaining Gaze had moved to fourth, still 20 seconds from the leaders after setting the fastest lap of the race. He moved on to the back of the leaders and passed a tiring Schurter on the final lap, going on to finish to second, 19 seconds behind winner Pidcock.

Likewise Cooper worked hard, ultimately passing more than 20 riders, and with his trademark fast finish, recording the fifth fastest lap of the race, and climbing to 10th while Ben Oliver finished 47th.

“I was quite unlucky in the start loop and got held up, but I just rode my pace, came back step-by-step, and rider-by-rider,” said Gaze.

“I found myself riding for the podium with a lap and a half to go. A silver medal, second best in the world at the end of the day is really satisfying,” said Gaze.

“I did not really think about how far I was back. I knew it was a long race on an attritional course so I just had to ride my speed. I have worked hard this year but it has not really connected for me in the World Cups so to come together at the worlds, I am super happy.

“I just wanted to ride my bike to the best of my ability today. It shows that I know how to be ready for the big days which is important coming into Olympic year next year. I have every intention of going one place better there.”

The BMX Racing competition got underway on the penultimate day of competition at the Super-Worlds, where all 13 UCI cycling disciplines are staging respective world championships over 12 days in Glasgow.

Current under-23 World Cup leader, Rico Bearman (North Harbour), unbeaten in World Cup competition this season, won his heat and first round races in the rain today to move safely into tomorrow’s quarterfinals.

He is joined in the under-23 competition by Rico D’Anvers (Cambridge), who was second in both his heat and the first round to also move through to the sudden-death elimination racing tomorrow.

In under-23 women, Rotorua’s Megan Williams won her heat and went straight into tomorrow’s racing, while Baylee Luttrell (Te Awamutu) was injured in a crash in her heat and withdrew.

Cambridge rider Leila Walker won her heat in junior women to move directly to the quarterfinals, with Brooke Penny (Te Awamutu) winning her Last Chance repechage to go through.

In junior men Jack Greenough (Cambridge) was impressive in winning both his heat and the first round to advance, while Will Skipper (Rotorua) missed out by one spot in the Last Chance heat.

North Harbour’s Michael Bias needed his second placing in the Last Chance to move through but got squeezed on the second corner to miss out in the elite men’s competition, with the rain making racing challenging.

ROAD

Bolton Equities Black Spoke rider Logan Currie was aggressive on the break and pushed into the peloton in the under-23 men’s road race over 168km, starting at Loch Lomond before loops of the inner city Glasgow circuit.

It proved a challenging day with persistent rain and frequent crashes, with Currie in a small peloton on to the Glasgow circuit.

The break went early and stayed away with Frenchman Alex Laurance soloing clear over the last two laps for the win, with a select group of five sprinting home close behind and Currie in the main group, claiming 26th place, 3:16 from the winner.

Teammate Lewis Bower did not finish.

The final day of the world championships on Sunday (Monday NZ time) features the knockout phase of BMX Racing through to the finals, while New Zealand has a strong team in the women’s road race over 154kms, also starting at Loch Lomond.

The team is led by SD Worx professional Niamh Fisher-Black, supported by impressive under-23 rider Ella Wyllie (Lifeplus-Wahoo), rookie professional Kim Cadzow (Team Jumbo Vizma), along with Michaela Drummond (Farto-BTC) and Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance-Soudal), who both competed impressive on the track team.