OPINION
Gary Moller
Gary Moller is a Health Practitioner who is focused on addressing the root causes of ill health or poor performance by making use of a key forensic tool – Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis – and administering healthy, natural and sustainable therapies.
The conversation unfolded like this:
“Rider passing,” I called to Roger from behind as we navigated a narrow and perilous single track at a breakneck pace.
“Who’s that?” He inquired.
I swallowed hard, “Gary.”
“Gary who?“
“Gary Moller.“
With that exchange, the cat was out of the bag, and the unspoken tension hung in the air. The outcome of the race teetered on a knife’s edge.
That uncomfortable chat revealed my presence to my arch-rival, Roger Cull. We were roughly midway through the gruelling 62-km UCI Masters Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships, competing fiercely for the 70–75 age group title. It was a moment of truth.
Roger is no slug, as you’ll learn from reading this article from the Guardian. He is used to winning everything.
I finally caught Roger after a setback early in the race. A fellow rider had lost control and collided with me just three kilometres in, bending one of my brake and gear levers. That painful crash had cost me dearly, dropping me 20–30 places behind. Roger had seized the opportunity and sprinted ahead into the distance.
My strategy was clear: regain my composure and fix my levers while keeping an eye on the bigger picture. In races like these, victory remains uncertain until the finish line. Drawing from a previous world championship when I had outpaced Roger, I knew my strength lay in navigating single tracks — and there were plenty of those ahead. My plan was to maintain a steady pace, avoid further mishaps, and eventually catch up with him.
Although I was thrilled to bridge the gap sooner than anticipated, an immediate challenge emerged: I had to pass Roger now — not later. Being already about halfway through the main body of single track, the immediate terrain favoured my skill set, but not for much longer, so I had to get ahead now — not later, and Roger knew this. Despite my pleas, he wasn’t about to yield — the gloves were off. Then, as we approached a hairpin turn at high speed, he veered slightly, creating the slimmest of openings. Seizing the opportunity, I dove through, brushing against some undergrowth but maintaining control. I had claimed the lead! Now, I had to build a buffer!
From there, I gave it everything, swiftly increasing the distance between Roger and me. My goal was to ride as hard as possible, for as long as possible and put as many riders as I could between us. Although it was a long way to go, I was confident in my abilities and stamina to maintain this pace for another 30 kilometres but, in these races, nothing is certain (Watch the last video below this article to get an idea of just how fast riders were going).
All was going according to plan until, with a mere eight kilometres to go, I entered a corner too hot and skidded out painfully. Let me assure you, using your rear end and elbow as brake pads isn’t advisable and results in sleepless nights for weeks to come. This slip cost me four places, but I still held the lead over Roger, quickly passing those riders again, understanding that each rider served as a valuable buffer between us.
In the end, I emerged victorious, clinching the 9th place overall finish across all ages — a result nearly as satisfying as securing the age group title. The exhilaration and relief that wash over you as you cross the finish line as a winner are indescribable.
Here’s the overall results below. Note the good company, such as our very own world record holder from Tirau, Jim McMurray, who was not that far ahead.
I’m so proud as well, of the love of my life, Alofa, who finished in fine form, placing 9th in the 55–60 women’s category.
This victory marks my third consecutive UCI Masters win, spanning several years and disciplines: two in the shorter XC version of mountain biking and now one in the marathon.
It’s a testament to the power of what Alofa and I do for a living and our commitment to ageless health and fitness — naturally — of course!
The day was a special one for the PNP Wellington Club, with Samara Shepherd convincingly winning the Oceania Championships and Ann Hunn coming 3rd in her age group race after leading but fading towards the end.
Here’s a video of the event: