‘You can’t get along with everyone’ - Kiwi mountain bikers fall out after dramatic Commonwealth Games race

April 12, 2018
New Zealand's Samuel Gaze gestures in the transition area after suffering a puncture. Cycling - Mountain Biking. Nerang Mountain Bike Trails. Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Australia. Thursday 12 April 2018. © Copyright photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz

Tensions appear to have boiled over between our Commonwealth Games mountain bikers, with gold medallist Sam Gaze accusing teammate and silver winner Anton Cooper of showing poor sportsmanship.

Gaze, 22, recovered from a punctured tyre on the penultimate lap of the race, before powering home to take out the gold medal.

However, with Cooper quick to attack Gaze by going hard on the bike following the incident, the gold medallist appears to have comeout swinging in response.

"There is good sportsmanship and there's not, and I feel like that wasn't there today. It's a bit of a shame really, I've got the utmost respect for the guy, still, even with that move," Gaze told Fairfax afterwards.

"That's racing, you can't get along with everyone."

Gaze was also pictured pulling the fingers at Cooper as he shot off up the hill during the incident.

Cooper responded to Gaze's remarks, stating that no rider should be expected to sit back.

"I can't think of a situation where anyone would sit and wait. If someone has a mechanical issue, that's rider-error. It's the same as making a poor line choice, it's just part of the game."

“You have to nurse your bike home and you have to have the good legs to get the job done. That’s life.”

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