Kiwi cyclists clash in controversial race for gold

COMMENTATORS forecast a bitter protest in New Zealand’s dramatic one-two finish in the men’s cross country cycling in an awkwardly icy scene.

Samuel Gaze (L) and Anton Cooper had a fiery finish to their race.

NEW Zealand cycling rivals Anton Cooper and Samuel Gaze couldn’t look at each other after a dramatic finish in the men’s cross country cycling.

The Kiwi stars stormed to gold and silver, but instead of an epic celebration, the scene on the other side of the finish line was ice cold.

The pair also clashed in the men’s final at the Glasgow Games in 2014 with Cooper taking the gold.

Their fortunes were reversed on the Nerang Mountain bike trails on Thursday with Gaze delivering a freakish ride on the final lap to come from third to steal the gold under incredibly controversial circumstances.

Gaze had to recover from a deflated tyre late in the race with a Kiwi official needing to blow it back up with a mobile canister.

The 22-year-old then embarked on one of the craziest fightbacks the event has seen, racing past South African bronze medallist Alan Hatherly before starting to run down Cooper — who appeared to have an insurmountable lead early in the final lap.

Gaze eventually caught up with him countryman and almost immediately made a move, trying to edge past Cooper during a period of straight track running across a flat part of the mountain.

He edged up alongside Cooper and with an explosive dart pushed his way into the lead after it appeared Cooper had moved to block him on his right hand side.

Replays showed a moment of pure controversy.

There was drama right until the very end.

Gaze was spotted pushing past Cooper with a shoving motion where he took his left hand off the handlebars and nudged Cooper away as he moved past.

From there he was home.

He took the race lead less than 1km from the finish line and never gave Cooper a chance to take the lead back in their dramatic sprint to the finish.

They both finished the course with the same time of 1:17.36 seconds.

As Gaze crossed the line he held his index finger to his mouth trying to silence either his critics or his teammate.

As New Zealand celebrated the big moment, its two cycling stars didn’t approach each other. Not once.

Aussie cycling great and Channel 7 commentator Scott McGrory said it would be awkward for the whole Kiwi team tonight.

Unbelievable finish!

🇳🇿 @samgazemtb passes 🇳🇿 @antonmtb in the final stages and then holds on for a rousing 🇳🇿 New Zealand 1-2 in the men's cross country mountain bike.

🇿🇦 @alanhatherly wins 🥉 #GC2018 #ShareTheDream pic.twitter.com/AvqZigR0kd

— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 12, 2018

“There will not be happy beers for the Kiwi club tonight, not too happy whatsoever,” he said. “There’s no love lost between them here.

“No hugs between the Kiwis. Gold and silver medals but certainly no big embracing hugs

“They are fired up, the New Zealanders.”

“There was no love lost whatsoever between the men who finished three seconds apart four years ago and the clock not actually separating them here,” Channel 7’s Basil Zempilas added.

“This is the incident that has got the New Zealanders up and about, you saw the arm come out there, that was interesting from Samuel gaze.

Zempilas said Cooper might think about launching an official protest.

“Can’t believe there’s contact from his teammate like that,” Zempilas said.

“I wonder if we have not heard the end of this yet. The sprint to the finish was pretty clean but it was that contact back about 300m or 400m from the end, he silences his teammate, his finger goes up first, is there more to be written?”

No official protest was made.

The incredible drama overshadowed Gaze’s amazing comeback, which left some commentators stunned.

Wow Gaze! What a finish... that was truly amazing 😮

— John Mckenzie (@Johnmck419) April 12, 2018

If Gaze wins this, this will be extraordinary

— John Mckenzie (@Johnmck419) April 12, 2018

Gaze has changed a tyre and starting to mow down Cooper on the final lap... this is insane

— John Mckenzie (@Johnmck419) April 12, 2018

“I can’t believe I won gold,” Gaze said.

“The feeling is just unimaginable. There was lots of bad luck going around with people having stacks (crashes) and punctures, so I’m really happy with today’s result.”

He said he had a lot of respect for Cooper despite giving his teammate the cold shoulder.

“Although he is my competition, I have great respect for him, and he’s the only reason I’m on the podium today,” Gaze said.

“It was a bit of a shame having to overtake him, but that’s racing.”

Cooper said after the race he didn’t know how Gaze was able to fight back the way he did.

“It’s going to be one of the best events at the Games,” he said of the rivalry.

“I didn’t quite come out on the right end of it but that’s life. I don’t know what happened (with Gaze’s puncture), we came into the tech zone, saw he pulled over, tyre didn’t look flat, didn’t know what was happening. He was very, very strong at the end. I don’t know what he did in the tech zone.

“You are never safe until it is done. I tried to back off a little to save energy for the sprint. I didn’t close the door enough.

“This makes me more hungry (to beat Gaze).”