Élancourt Hill, France — Despite securing New Zealand’s joint-best finish of sixth in the men’s cross-country mountain bike race at the Olympic Games, Sam Gaze expressed his disappointment following Monday’s event.
The 28-year-old rider had high hopes for a medal, driven by recent strong performances. However, his quest fell short as Tom Pidcock (Great Britain), Victor Koretzky (France), and Alan Hatherly (South Africa) claimed the podium spots.
Gaze’s race began on a challenging note; a poor start and a struggle to navigate through the tight sections of the course impacted his performance. Initially positioned outside the top 20, Gaze fought his way back into the top five by the halfway mark. Despite his efforts, he finished three places off the podium.
“It was not what I came for,” Gaze said in a Cycling New Zealand press release. “Once I got pushed back in that first corner, I was proud of how I worked my way back and got into a great position, but I just didn’t have the legs to keep up with Pidcock.”
Starting from the second row among 36 competitors, Gaze encountered a bottleneck on the banked, gravelly entrance to the more technical sections of the course. Although he managed to climb up the rankings, his chances of a medal dwindled as Pidcock, who had suffered a flat tire earlier in the race, surged forward in the fifth lap. Gaze’s struggle to match Pidcock’s pace marked the point where his medal aspirations began to fade.
“I’m quite heartbroken but I did absolutely everything I could,” Gaze told The New Zealand Herald. “At one point, I believed a medal was still within reach after my poor start. It was a terrible, not-good-enough start.”
Gaze’s bid for a medal ended as Pidcock’s relentless pace eventually took its toll. The New Zealander crossed the finish line 1:41 behind Pidcock, who defended his title, in sixth place. This was the same position achieved by compatriot Anton Cooper at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.
Despite the setback, Gaze’s performance marks significant progress since his Olympic debut in Rio, where he finished 37th. Now, with experience from both the road and mountain biking disciplines, Gaze is already focusing on future goals.
“Tomorrow I will look back and see that was a ride to be proud of,” Gaze reflected. “I’m already looking forward to the world championships next month and aiming for Los Angeles in four years’ time.”
Gaze’s resilience and forward-looking attitude reflect his commitment to reaching even greater heights in his athletic career.