Kiwi mountain biker Sam Gaze has apologised to teammate and compatriot Anton Cooper, following accusations of poor sportsmanship during the Commonwealth Games cross country final this afternoon.

Gaze, 22, recovered from a punctured tyre on the penultimate lap of the race, before powering home to take out the gold medal, while Cooper finished second to claim silver.

However, with Cooper quick to pass Gaze by going hard on the bike following the incident, the gold medallist accused his compatriot of poor sportsmanship.

Taking to Facebook, Gaze released a statement apologising to Cooper and the New Zealand public.

"I'm a competitive guy and when I had that issue with my bike I thought my dream was over. I reacted badly and want to apologise for my words and my actions. I am really embarrassed for how I acted and how the impact of how special of a day it was for New Zealand Cycling was tainted by my actions," he wrote.

New Zealand's Sam Gaze gestures in the transition area after suffering a puncture. Source: Photosport

"I respect Anton and his ability to race hard and fast and I regret the way that I spoke right after the race. He is an incredible rider and together we put on a really exciting race today. I was proud that we could finish one-two again like we did in Glasgow and am grateful for the talent we are growing in New Zealand.