Sam Gaze produced another top-10 effort in the second round of the UCI MTB World Cup in Brazil, in the second of a two-stop start in South America.

The Alpecin-Deceuninck professional, sixth in the opening round, finished eighth in the elite men’s race, 35s behind winner Simon Andreassen (DEN) at Araxa.

It could have been higher with Gaze pushing up to the lead mid-race but he made a slight mistake and slipped his chain, losing around 15 seconds getting back on to the pace. While he caught the chase group, he ran out of real estate to bridge up to the leading group of four riders who contested the podium.

Gaze has moved to sixth overall on the world cup standings, which is his strongest start to a world cup season.

Unfortunately national and Oceania champion Anton Cooper was again unable to spark, finishing mid-way down the field over five minutes from the winner, and not feeling in the sort of form he showed last month in New Zealand.

He finished 50th just behind fellow kiwi Ben Oliver.

Cycling New Zealand MTB coach Sam Thompson said the Araxa course was demanding with punchy climbs and technical parts.

Cooper and Gaze will move to their respective bases in Europe with the third round of the world cup at the end of May in the Czech Republic, which is the final race to award qualifying points for the Paris Olympics.

Elite men’s results: Simon Andreassen (DEN) 1:20.00, 1; Victor Koretzky (FRA) at 1s, 2; Alan Hatherly (Zaf) same time, 3. Also Sam Gaze (NZL) at 35s, 8; Ben Oliver at 4:42, 47; Anton Cooper at 5:23, 50.