Gaze first world series win in nearly three years
New Zealand mountain biker Sam Gaze has powered to victory in the UCI MTB short-track cross country in the last world series round in Utah, his first win in nearly three years
The experienced Gaze took short-track honours for his Alpecin-Premier Tech team, using his sprint speed for victory over Frenchman Luca Martin in Soldier Hollow.
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The 30-year-old was in the middle of the pack for much of the early stages before moving up to 10th with four laps remaining.
He surged past those in front of him to hit the line first and register his fifth career World Cup short-track win, and his first since 2024.
“Incredible, I don’t even know what to say,” said Gaze. “I came here just looking to have a bit of fun. This morning I felt pretty average, but with five laps to go we regrouped and it all came down to the finish straight. There’s no time for confidence or doubt in those moments. For a second I thought I was boxed in, but I managed to find a way through.”
Earlier, New Zealand's Sammie Maxwell was eighth in the women's race for Decathlon Ford Racing, crossing the line 18 seconds behind Italian winner Martina Berta.
Riders were to contest the regular cross-country distance race on Monday morning (NZT) before building up for the final round of the world series in Lake Placid, New York, in early October.
