Gaze reclaims crown
New Zealand mountain biker Sam Gaze is a world champion once again.
The 21- year- old has defended his under- 23 cross- country world championship, winning the title by 11 seconds yesterday in Cairns.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist was locked in throughout on the six lap course, never deviating from the leading group as he slowly dropped his rivals one by one.
As the leaders were whittled away, Gaze made his move, jumping clear of the pack on lap four.
An attack off the front opened up a 16- second lead, as he pulled away from a group of six riders.
He was joined at the front of the race by South African Alan Hatherly, but once again earned a slender lead A 75th- minute try from Latrell Mitchell gave the Sydney Roosters a stunning 24- 22 win over Brisbane in their NRL qualifying final last night. The Roosters looked to have blown an 18- 16 lead when Blake Ferguson’s save of an attempted 40- 20 by Benji Marshall ended in a try to Corey Oates. That 71st- minute converted try — Brisbane’s second in three minutes — saw the Broncos leading for the first time. However, 20- year- old Mitchell palmed off James Roberts to score the clutch 20- metre try, leaving the Roosters 80 minutes away from this year’s grand final. The victory was deserved for a Roosters team which dominated for long spells but the Broncos stayed in touch, with Marshall prominent. Brisbane will play the winners of tonight’s Penrith- Manly elimination final. The Roosters advance to week three. Chris Froome has rebounded superbly to increase his overall lead in the Vuelta a Espana to 1m 37s with a lightning late attack which left nearest challenger Vincenzo Nibali in his wake on the 18th stage. After a disappointing day on Thursday when his overall lead was cut by 42s, Froome reasserted his dominance and edged closer to becoming the first rider in 39 years to win the Tour of Spain and Tour de France in the same year. Belgian Sander Armee won his first grand tour stage by 31s with a late attack from the breakaway group, dropping Alexey Lutsenko in the final 600m. Two weeks off has worked a treat for Ryan Fox, who sits one shot off the lead in a share of fourth at the European Masters in Switzerland. Fox registered eight birdies in his fiveunder 65 at Crans- sur- Sierre Golf Club but was let down by a double bogey on the par- four 12th hole and a lone bogey. The 30- year- old shared fourth with five others, one stroke behind Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiminez, England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Australian Scott Hend. Kiwi crew Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders remain firmly in contention for a medal at the Nacra 17 world championships after improving to fourth at the midway stage. Jones and Saunders lifted three spots at La Grande- Motte, France, yesterday courtesy of placing fifth, 11th and second. Their net tally of 40 points leaves them two points off third and 11 behind Danish leaders Lin Ea Cenholt Christiansen and Christian Peter Lubeck. The other Kiwi crew of Olivia Mackay and Micah Wilkinson were eighth, second and sixth to climb from 18th to 14th overall. New Zealand have claimed a rare ice hockey win over Australia in the opener of their three- match series at the Winter Games in Queenstown. The Ice Blacks were 4- 1 victors on Thursday for just their second win over Australia in 16 matches. The Highlanders have snared the signature of rising Melbourne Rebels prop Tyrel Lomax, although they’ll have to wait more than a year for his services. Lomax, the son of former Kiwis league prop John Lomax, has committed to the Highlanders and Tasman for 2019- 20. The 21- year- old has requested an early release from the Rebels and Australian Rugby Union and is awaiting an outcome. Fourteen wickets fell on the first day, giving the series- deciding third cricket test between England and West Indies the feel of a lottery at Lord’s yesterday. West Indies were 123 all out in their first innings and England were 46- 4 in reply as both team’s batsmen floundered on a pitch that initially appeared good enough for the West Indians to opt to bat first. Ben Stokes took 6- 22 for England in a sizzling spell of swing bowling to dent West Indies’ hopes of a first series win in England since 1988. on the penultimate lap. Hatherly couldn’t hang with the pace set by Gaze, who pumped his fists as he crossed the line after an hour and 17 minutes out on course.
Gaze’s victory was supplemented by a strong performance by fellow Kiwi rider Ben Oliver, who hung with the leaders throughout the first half of the race, before eventually finishing 2m 12s back in ninth place. His brother, Craig Oliver, finished 37th, while the other New Zealander in the race, Jack Compton, did not finish.
The man who beat Gaze at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Anton Cooper, is the only New Zealander in action in the men’s elite cross- country race today, while Samara Sheppard is the sole Kiwi representative in the women’s field.
The world championships end tomorrow with the elite and junior downhill event, with 17 Kiwi riders set to take part.