CHAMPION: Sam Gaze celebrates winning his second consecutive under-23 men's cross-country title at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Cairns. PHOTO/OLI YOUNG
CHAMPION: Sam Gaze celebrates winning his second consecutive under-23 men's cross-country title at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Cairns. PHOTO/OLI YOUNG
Tokoroa-born Sam Gaze has won his second under-23 men's cross-country title at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Cairns.
Gaze, who won the under-23 championship in the Czech Republic last year, emerged from a tight tussle late in the race to win in one hour, 17 minutes and 46seconds which was 11 seconds clear of South Africa's Alan Hatherly with Germany's Maximilian Brandl 51 seconds back in third.
It was an outstanding day for New Zealand riders, with North Canterbury's Ben Oliver enjoying an excellent race to finish ninth, 2min, 12sec down on the winner. His brother Craig was 37th - both are part of the Subway Mountain Bike National Performance Hub.
Gaze was with a strong group including Ben Oliver from the start before making his move on the penultimate lap when he attacked up the main climb on the dusty course, in hot conditions in the tropical rain forest.
The Specialized Factory rider opened up a 13-second gap on lap five and was able to hold off the South African on the sixth and final lap and even enjoy a finish-line celebration.
"It is what we dream of. I went into it, instead of thinking about defending it, but earning a new one. In this sport there's no such thing as defence - to win this title once is a dream come true. To make it twice is something else."
He pushed hard on the climbs but did not feel he had a significant advantage uphill in a powerful field.
"I don't feel like I was one of the strongest on the climbs. I had to focus on where my strengths on the course were.
FOCUS: Sam Gaze in action during the under-23 men's cross-country race. PHOTO/OLI YOUNG
"On the second to last lap I put in a really good nudge near the top of the climb and managed to get away. I just had to maintain that gap up the final climb and was pretty fortunate to get it done.
"It was a hard race and a lot of the boys rode really well today. I didn't have it my own way and have to adjust my plan during the race and make it happen," he said.
Gaze has had a mercurial year with successes intertwined with failures, mostly relating to bouts of migraine headaches.
"I am very happy to have a result that I am really proud of this year. It has been a challenging year to say the least.
"It hasn't been a bad year because if you win it is good for the CV but when you lose it is great for the head for learning. It has been one of those seasons for me for sure but I don't regret it because out of this I will better myself."
It is his final year in under-23 and will step up to elite racing alongside Anton Cooper next year.
"I am looking forward to next year already and putting on my big boys' shoes and getting out there."
