Ironically pundits had picked Frame and Gate as likely favourites after their stellar performances at the Tour of Southland a fortnight ago.
"I had to be clever and cunning to upset them," says Gough who is based in Cambridge with other elite national track riders.
The former Central Hawke's Bay College pupil made his move from the pair with about three and a half laps to go.
Mindful Frame was a stronger sprinter "on paper", Gough had to stay focused on the challenging multi-lap course which took in Hurstmere Rd and The Strand in the Takapuna CBD as the elite men covered 45 minutes and a lap.
The Christchurch-based Mike Greer team rider was coming off the Tour of Southland carrying a pesky cold, depriving him of working out for a good part of the week between the tour and the national criterium event.
"It was quite cold during the tour although it was the same for other riders so I guess they must have had a bit of cold like me as well," he says.
Gough claimed the yellow jersey on the opening day of the Southland Tour for Mike Greer but cruelly lost time on day two after a puncture.
"That effectively killed my GC [general classification] hopes so I played a supportive role for teammate Michael Hink."
But the victory last Sunday at Takapuna has gone a long way to erasing some of that disappointment from the tour.
"I rode as smart as possible and it seemed to pay off. I've come to this race a few times and it is probably the first time I have played it smarter and it has paid off."
He soaked up the "awesome atmosphere" of the Auckland suburb with throngs lining up streets to cheer and clap riders.
"It's a national title so that means I can wear the yellow jersey [from the criterium] anywhere in the world in tour races."
No doubt the six years of competing at the Takapuna venue had honed his skills and given him a more refined sixth sense on what to anticipate.
"You have to back yourself around here. If you get a little gap, which I did on the final lap, then you can hold on to it around this course.
"It's a tight, sweet course and you know where to be and where the gaps will be."
He reflected on his time with Gate at the Rio Olympics this year as part of the pursuit team.
"Fourth was a bad position to be," he says although their build up to Rio went smoothly but the result didn't pan out the way they had anticipated.
"It could have been better but then it could also have been worse."
Gough savoured having his parents, Penny and Dean, in Rio with sister, Kelsie, 27, of Pukekohe, as well.
"It's my most prestigious event to date so I've been to Rio, my first Olympics, and it's awesome."
He is banking on another, at least, to close "unfinished business".
His next assignment is the Oceania Games in Melbourne early next month before turning his attention to the road race nationals in Hawke's Bay in January next year.
"I want to pick up individual points for more individual races," says Gough, who is keen to put more time on the road from the track with the Olympics four years away but, although it's a relatively easy transition, realises it'll take some toiling to be among the elite.
