Unbound Gravel is a type of races the place it appears inevitable one thing will go fallacious for almost each rider as they traverse the difficult terrain by way of the Flint Hills of Kansas – simply ask winners Lachlan Morton (EF Education EasyPost) and Rosa Klöser (MAAP-Rose), who each had mishaps alongside the best way.
Still, whereas Kloser managed to battle again from her ill-timed flat and Morton was even grateful in hindsight for a fallacious flip that foiled his early assault, others had mishaps, or numerous them, that utterly derailed their races. There might not have been the peanut butter mud that destroyed drivetrains like final yr, however there have been loads of different points to cope with over the 203-mile (327km) race.
Many riders who have been anticipated to be proper up there within the battle for victory had their possibilities destroyed, not by techniques, race health or preparation, however by a rock kicked up on a quick descent or a crash after both they or a rider alongside was got rid of course by the tough terrain. Unbound is brutal – that’s a part of what makes it so particular. But it additionally signifies that yearly there’s a lengthy checklist of riders who’ve their race ruined by components which can be, at the very least partly, past their management.
It’s a race the place the energy of a rider is simply a part of the image, so to delve into the tales left untold by the outcomes allow us to check out a list of a number of the mishaps and misadventures amongst these riders who entered with nice hope however will now be pressured to place these desires of Unbound glory on ice for one more yr.
Women’s professional race
Justine Barrow (twenty sixth) – The Australian champion, who was coming into the race contemporary from a win at Gravel Locos, obtained caught up by a crash proper in entrance of her at simply 15 miles (25km) into the race and whereas she set off in pursuit, attending to inside 10 seconds of the bunch at one level, she could not make the junction. With all the hassle and expense that had gone into meticulously making ready, nevertheless, there was no giving up and Barrow chased by way of the sphere to realize at the very least one goal, ending.
Kristen Legan (thirtieth) – After successful Unbound 360 final yr Legan was a rider to look at however she too had a chase again to take care of, getting caught up in the identical early crash as Barrow.
Emily Newsom (twenty fifth) – An early assault shortly got here unstuck with Newsom struck by a mechanical whereas out the entrance, which meant the pack caught up after which handed on by.
Whitney Allison (thirty third) – Tailed off the 15-rider lead group however had settled in properly to chase with Tiffany Cromwell and Danni Shrosbree when a flat and subsequent CO2 canister mishap put her out of attain.
Matilda Raynolds (twenty third) A mechanical the place the chain wrapped across the cranks after which a flat left the Dirty Warrny winner out of the working however not out of the battle. She in the end linked up with compatriot Justine Barrow to push on by way of to the road in Emporia.
Karolina Migoń (twenty first) – Winning the Traka 360 final month meant the Polish rider got here into Unbound with the look of a contender for the highest spots, however even the long-range successful kind wasn’t sufficient to beat two punctures and a mechanical.
Sofia Gomez Villafañe (fifteenth) – After coming second in 2023 and first in 2022 it was arduous to discover a greater favorite than the rider who has dominated the US gravel scene in latest occasions. However combating again from a flat was one factor, however two one other fully.
Men’s professional race
Matej Mohorič (DNF) – The WorldTour skilled might have been getting into simply his second gravel race however rivals have been cautious of the Bahrain Victorious rider who had the rainbow jersey on his again. Though gravel racing is a broad church, and Unbound did not deal with the rider as kindly as his first foray. ‘I feel we’ll keep on with street racing’ was his quip as he identified his cracked rim. Mechanicals and flats had spelt the top of the day for Mohorič and his teammates Matevž Govekar and Lukas Wiśniowski.
Thijs Zonneveld (thirty first) – The Dutch rider was ideally positioned, out the entrance in a break with eventual winner Lachlan Morton and second-placed Chad Haga, after which unexpectedly the proper situation unravelled. “Everything was spot on at present … solely that one stone was fallacious,” stated Zonneveld, who misplaced prime place with a puncture, on Instagram.
Brendan Johnston (fifteenth) – The Australian has each purpose for the lament of “Oh Unbound you merciless beast” that led his Instagram publish on the race. Last yr was a disaster-prone DNF, then this yr he had a flat whereas within the entrance group, chased again, then obtained hit by two extra but nonetheless held on within the entrance group whereas using the inserts on an unrepairable tyre for about 70km to the second feed zone. The cease for repairs meant shedding contact however even then he nonetheless managed a prime 20 end.
Petr Vakoč (forty first) – Last yr the previous street racer obtained by way of the brutal situations to take the runner-up spot however this yr a sliced rear tyre on sharp flint stones introduced him undone. The rider from the Czech Republic put in a tube {that a} passing rider gave him however by then the race for a prime outcome was over.
Paul Voß (forty ninth) – Mechanicals, punctures and a “actually silly” crash was one thing final yr’s Traka 200 winner stated made it extra of a “survival experience”.
Connor Sens (forty sixth) – The Australian gravel champion had held agency on the entrance by way of a lot of the race however after being dropped on some punchy climbs was pushing the tempo on a descent and hit some large rocks and cracked his rim, however with a tube within the rider from Bendigo managed to get by way of the subsequent 110km.
Keegan Swenson (14th) – Last yr’s winner of Unbound and the Life Time Grand Prix sequence already had his again in opposition to the wall, given how closely marked he was and so as to add insult to harm – or maybe we must always say harm to insult – he additionally got here throughout the road bloodied by a crash.
