For the first time in New Zealand's mountain biking history, the country's riders have won UCI's rainbow jersey at the Trophy of Nations.
This is new ground for New Zealand mountain biking and the three Kiwis, Eddie Masters, Matt Walker and Charlie Murray, are relishing their rare victory on the cliffs of Northern Italy.
"We had one shot, in our spot, one shot in the year and i don't know, we managed to grab it with both hands and just stoked," says Walker.
It's the first Trophy of Nations since 2019. Walker competed then where New Zealand finished fourth.
He returned to face the world's best this year with Masters and Murray, taking on the best countries across five stages.
Tactics are critical with all three riders on course at the same time..
"You're literally riding on the back wheel of each rider," says Murray.
"If they crash you have to take evasive action not to run them over, so it's quite high stakes."
That turned into a reality for favourites Canada, who crashed out of the competition.
By stage three, it was the Kiwis' championship to lose.
"There wasn't much talking going on between us," says Walker.
"We all were processing the fact that we were on our way to win and it was getting quite stressful."
Masters also felt the pressure.
"With three people so much can go wrong. You don't want to let down your two teammates, when you race as an individual it's fine but when you race as a team it felt like there was a bit more pressure."
But the Kiwis were in a class of their own, taking victory in Italy by 26 seconds.
"To stand on top of the podium and get a set of rainbow stripes um it's pretty amazing feeling and just proud, racing for New Zealand not just for ourselves," says Masters.
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