Sam Gaze “super-happy, super-proud” with mountain bike rainbow jersey
UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – DAY 2 TORPEDO7 NZ TEAM WRAP
New Zealand’s Sam Gaze has claimed the short-track cross-country title on day two of the UCI World Championships in France.
Fresh from his gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, Gaze outsprinted his rivals on the final lap to win the rainbow jersey at Les Gets in the French Alps.
The mostly-flat short loop was ideal for the powerful Alpecin-Deceuninck professional, who pushed through from the second row on the grid. After moving up from mid-pack, he pushed to the front group and then unleashed on the final two laps to hold off the Swiss pair of Filipo Colombo and Thomas Litscher.
"Super happy, super proud! To become an elite world champion is a dream come true,” said the Cycling New Zealand Torpedo7 team rider.
“I’ve finally pulled off a big one. It’s nice because it takes a bit of pressure off the Sunday’s cross-country race. I am enjoying it now but tomorrow I will pack it away and begin my preparations for race day.
“It’s an awesome feeling. I’ve had really good prep since the Commonwealth Games. I went to altitude in the French Alps and every training session went well.
“The course for short-track was deceiving hard because it’s been dry and the track was bone hard but the rain came today and some corners were icy and slick.
“I was back a bit further than I wanted to be early on and had to close some gaps in the middle part of the race but once I got two laps to go I thought if I could use my sprint, then I would have a good chance.
“You have to respect what a world title means, so to pull it off is awesome.”
Gaze, who had a career-best sixth in the elite cross-country race at Val di Sol last year, was a two-time under-23 world champion in 2016 and 2017.
He will now rest and reset for the cross-country world championship race on Monday (NZ time) where he joins Anton Cooper, Ben Oliver and Craig Oliver - his Torpedo7 New Zealand teammates in the elite men’s race.
Earlier Rotorua’s Charles Murray finished 21st in the E-Bike cross-country race which was dominated by French riders with three in the top four.
Tomorrow’s attention turns to downhill with 13 Torpedo7 New Zealand team riders qualifying for finals, comprising Carter Wiffin, Nico Arnold, Alex Wayman and Cameron Beck in the junior men; Caitlin Flavell and Jenna Hastings in junior women; Kalani Muirhead and Jess Blewitt in elite women; and Ed Masters, Hayden Stead, Brook MacDonald, George Brannigan and Sam Blenkinsop in elite men.
CAPTION: Sam Gaze in action and on the podium after victory in the short-track race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Les Gets, France today. (Credit: Rob Jones).