Only weeks after his impressive second placing in the Cape Epic eight-day race in South Africa, the Paris Olympian Sam Gaze produced a brave cross-country display in the season-opening UCI MTB World Cup in South Korea.
The weather turned adversely overnight, with wild and wet conditions causing an extremely slippery race track that proved a significant challenge to riders.
Starting back in 45th place on the grid, Gaze (Alpecin Fenix) rode through the field, in the challenging conditions, frequently forced to run in sections, finishing in the top-20 in the XCO race, held for the first time at Mona YongPyong.
Gaze started back on the sixth row amongst the back-markers in the 78-strong field, making significant ground to move to 25th overall by the end of lap two. Aside from sliding back with cramp running on the penultimate lap, Gaze moved into the top-20, finishing 19th in an impressive display in super-tough conditions.
He finished in 1:30.33 to be 5:57 behind the winner.
“I can’t say I have experienced a mountain bike race where I have spent more time off the bike running than on it. But it was a matter of ticking a box for me. I am trying to qualify for the short-track for the next round in Nove Mesto which gets me a much better starting position and onto a level-playing field.
“I missed quite a bit of mtb races in the spring with my focus on preparing for the Cape Epic which was really successful.
“I wasn’t expecting the chaos that the rain brought today. I tried to do the best I could in the conditions and with two laps to go I tried to lift but suffered from hamstring cramp with so much running but I got home in the top 20.
“That should get me into the top-20 for the short track race, which will help with a better start position for the XCO race and back to the sharp end of the field.”
Compatriot Anton Cooper (Lapierre PXR Racing), who started on the second-row courtesy of his Oceania Championship title, struggled considerably in the conditions, drifting back to 61st with only 50 riders completing the full six laps.
Swiss rider Dario Lillo (Giant Factory) won in 1:24.36 to be 1:46 clear of Luca Martin (FRA) with Charlie Aldridge (GBR) 2:39 behind the winner.
Earlier Christchurch rider Amélie Mackay finished 39th in the race won by Swiss rider Sina Frei with fellow Cantabrian Annabel Bligh 29th in the under-23 XCO race.
The opening weekend of the UCI MTB World Cup, held for the first time at Mona YongPyong in South Korea.
The weekend started on an outstanding note for kiwi riders, with a first UCI MTB World Cup victory in downhill to Palmerston North teenager Jonty Williamson, while the gravity group amassed two podiums and three top-10 finishers in junior men, two top-10s in junior females and one top-10 in elite females.
The UCI MTB World Cup reconvenes in Europe in three weeks with both XCO and DH competitions at Nova Mesto na Moravé in the Czech Republic.
Samuel Gaze competing at Mona YongPyong
📸: Thomas Weschta