New Zealander Sam Gaze's actions after his gold medal performance in the Commonwealth Games men's mountain bike race yesterday were "ungracious" according to veteran sports broadcaster Peter Williams.
Gaze accused fellow New Zealand rider Anton Cooper (who finished second) of poor sportsmanship in not stopping when he was forced to pull over due to a puncture during the race.
The courtesy Gaze expected is more known as an unspoken road cycling stage race tradition where riders only resume after a tour leader's mechanical problems are resolved.
Williams said Gaze looked discourteous in his actions and he wasn't certain Gaze's apology later was sincere either.
"Afterwards, it wasn't particularly gracious on the part of Sam Gaze. He issued a statement later apologising for actions - I don't know who suggested that he issue that statement but I don't think he would have done that off his own back, put it that way.
"I think the PR machine for the New Zealand Olympic Committee swung into action pretty quickly and suggested that he say some nice things to apologise for his actions.
"When you lose, you should lose graciously and when you win you should win graciously - he did neither."
But Williams was impressed by one aspect of Gaze's performance.
"I came back to my room and watched the last lap and it was fantastic," he said.
"For him to make up 20 seconds firstly to overtake the South African, I thought, 'he's going to get silver, the South African's run out of puff,' but I didn't think in a million years he would catch Anton Cooper."
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