In 2014, Sam Gaze was a privateering teenager from a rural farming town in New Zealand when he took the men's title in the opening round of an eliminator World Cup in Australia. With this breakout ride, he caught the eye of Specialized Racing and relocated to Europe, where he's gone on to claim five world titles, including U23 World Champion and Elite Marathon and Short Track World Champion. He now races for UCI team Alpecin-Deceuninck where he competes in the WorldTour as well as the World Cup.
Payson sat down with Sam in Girona to talk about breaking Nino Schurter’s record-setting winning streak in the opening round of the 2018 World Cup, being mentored by Christoph Sauser, and how winning the World Championship in 2016 with his dad at the finish was the best day of his life. But they also discuss the low points, such as the infamous moment at the 2018 Commonwealth Games when his spur-of-the-moment reaction toward an opponent sparked a media frenzy. The experience intensified his ongoing struggle with depression and caused him to take a hiatus from cycling for much of 2019. Now, after several years with Alpecin-Deceuninck, he has his sights set on the 2024 Olympics.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Living in Girona and moving to Europe at 17
00:06:32 Growing up in rural New Zealand and getting into cycling
00:12:29 His breakout ride at World Cup eliminators in 2014
00:18:21 Crashing out of first World Champs
00:23:18 Meeting mentor Christoph Sauser
00:30:37 Getting diagnosed with depression
00:33:22 Becoming U23 World Champion with his dad at the finish
00:41:07 The controversy and harassment following his 2018 Commonwealth Games win
00:49:14 Parting ways with Specialized and coming to terms with his mental health
00:56:14 Joining Alpecin-Deceuninck and Olympic goals
01:09:58 His elite world titles
01:16:46 Whiskey 50 memories and U.S. gravel goals