Mountainbike rider Sam Gaze successfully defends under-23 world title
Sam Gaze celebrates his victory in the under-23 mens cross country. Sam Gaze continues to amaze.
The Cambridge rider has won another under-23 mens cross-country title at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Cairns, Australia. The 21-year-old, who also won the event last year.
successfully defended his crown with an outstanding performance on Friday to power away late in the race to win in a time of 1:17:46, which was 11 seconds clear of South Africas Alan Hatherly.
Oli Young/Barking Cat Photography Sam Gaze in action during the six-lap course.
It was an outstanding day for New Zealand riders, with North Canterburys Ben Oliver enjoying an excellent race to finish inside the top-10 in ninth place, 2:12 down on the winner. His brother Craig was 37th.
Gaze was with a strong group including Ben Oliver from the start before making his move on the penultimate lap when 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 Hatherly on the sixth and final lap and even enjoyed a finish line celebration.
It is a phenomenal feeling. It is what we dream of. I went into it instead of thinking about defending it but earning a new one. In this sport theres no such thing as defence, said Gaze.
To win this title once is a dream come true. To make it twice is something else.. Gaze pushed hard on the climbs but did not feel he had a significant advantage uphill in a powerful field.
I dont feel like I was one of the strongest on the climbs. I had to focus on where my strengths on the course were.
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 didnt have it my own way and have to adjust my plan during the race and make it happen..
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 hasnt been a bad year because if you win it is good for the CV but when you lose is great for the head for learning.
It has been one of those seasons for me for sure but I dont 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 get out there.
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