Aaron Gate celebrates winning the sprint to claim his fourth gold medal. Photo / Getty
Aaron Gate celebrates winning the sprint to claim his fourth gold medal. Photo / Getty
Cyclist Aaron Gate has sprinted into history at the Commonwealth Games with a performance worthy of being remembered forever.
Gate has become the first New Zealander to win four gold medals at one Games, and he did so with a ride both astonishing yet believable.
The only New Zealander in a leading group of 15 that escaped with over 100 kilometres to go in cycling's men's road race, Gate spent an inordinate amount of energy chasing moves from other riders, most notably the dangerous English trio, who launched attack after attack in order to break up the group.
Ben Turner, Sam Watson and Fred Wright all tried their luck, but each time Gate was alert to the danger, either closing down their attack or joining them on the front and trying to push on.
It was an absurd amount of energy to expend, especially with the Englishmen rotating their surges. Turner, Watson, Wright, Turner, Watson, Wright. The attacks kept coming, only to be met by Gate, Gate and more Gate.
Aaron Gate celebrates winning the sprint to claim his fourth gold medal. Photo / Getty
He was relentless to the extent it seemed certain he would pay for his efforts as the race reached its conclusion, and suffer just as much as everyone else in the front group.
Gate, however, is not like everyone else.
This is a man at the peak of his powers – a man who collected three gold medals from the Games on the track, in the team pursuit, individual pursuit and points race. Throw in a fourth in the individual time trial on the road for good measure, and he was by far the strongest rider in the leading group – a group that even consisted of Geraint Thomas, who finished third at the Tour de France last month.
But one of the reasons road cycling can create unforgettable stories is the fact the strongest rider doesn't always win. In fact, strength often works against the top riders, as other riders get wary of them, unwilling to take them to the line, and make them chase down attacks and put in the bulk of the work in leading groups.
So Gate chased, and chased, and chased some more, to the point where his legs were constantly cramping in the final two laps of the 160km course.
With 30km to go, it looked like his endeavours may have paid off as he infiltrated a strong group of four, only for young Australian star Luke Plapp – this was no leading group of shmucks – to drag it back.
Aaron Gate celebrates with his fourth gold medal. Photo / Getty
Plapp soon after again played spoiler to one of Gate's moves and when Watson finally snuck away undetected by Gate, and was joined by Northern Ireland's Sam Culverwell with 10 kilometres to go, it seemed like all of Gate's efforts may result in a sprint for bronze.
But, finally, Gate got some help. South Africa's Daryl Impey – a Tour de France stage winner – and his teammate Morne van Niekerk joined the Kiwi at the front to drag the leading duo back, with three kilometres to go.
Thomas then tried to take a flier in the final two kilometres, but Turner and Plapp closed him down, leaving an elite group of five to contest the sprint.
Wright led out the sprint with Impey on his wheel, but the duo – two of the best in the world – were no match for Aaron, who stormed past and shut the gate to create a moment that will go down in history.
