206 miles to be precise, cheeseburgers, parents, camaraderie and podiums.
By Nicola Cranmer, Founder + GM TWENTY24 Pro Cycling
It's going to take some time for the events of Unbound Gravel to completely sink in. Kanas did not disappoint. With rolling emerald green hills, rock walls, perfect gravel and even more imperfect gravel Emporia was unexpectedly beautiful. Whether participating as a rider or as a support crew this event is infectious, you feel it in every cell, it lures you in, becomes your friend, crushes you, chews you up, spits you out and then gives you a giant hug.
The What
What is Unbound? Unbound (formerly Dirty Kanza, DK200) was founded in 2006 at a time when gravel grinding was just beginning to catch the interest of the endurance cycling community. Inspired by some of the early gravel grinder events, the event founders knew that the beauty of the region is best explored on two wheels, and with that, the 200 mile “race” took shape. Unbound resides in a region of Kansas called the Flint Hills, and cyclists around the globe have transcended upon our roads to tackle the hilly, tire-shredding, sun-baked gravel that Emporia is infamous for. Unbound is one of the many amazing events in the Lifetime Fitness portfolio.
The Why
Why did we choose Unbound? With cycling shutting down for the majority of 2020 the team pivoted to more Zwift eSports racing and falling in love with backyard exploration. Once the 2021 road calendar was released it was looking like there would be very little stage racing until much later in the year. We had plenty of Zwift racing on the schedule with season 3 of the Premier League which kept the team morale high and focused on performance goals but what would we do IRL? Gravel of course!
With literally hundreds of events slated, this was an exciting prospect which the riders embraced. For me on a personal level it was an opportunity to go back to my cycling roots in the dirt. Although the team has been racing mixed surface events for many years, events like Leadville which our team member Larissa Connors won twice, Crusher in the Tushar, BWR to name a few, my first gravel event was in 2019, The Spirit World 100, I actually participated on the bike. I opted for the 60-mile version I had not pinned on a number in over a decade and did so kicking and screaming, a friend had purchased an entry for me, little did I know at the time that this event would be instrumental in shifting my vision for the team. Heidi Rentz and Zander Ault put on a super event in the Borderlands of Patagonia, AZ, a community engaged purposeful and educational experience. I had an incredible time I didn’t exactly race it I just rode it enjoying the rest stops, taking in the breathtaking views of the San Rafael Valley and chatting to participants and making new friends. Participants of all abilities with and array of goals from winning to finishing. This scene felt familiar, reminiscent of the early days of mountain biking when you would finish a race and there would be a few kegs of beer, a bbq and a band.
I was fortunate to move to America in 1986 when mountain biking was emerging in North America, back when you would see tire tracks in the Marin headlands and know who had been out riding that morning on the newly released WTB Ground Controls. My introduction to mountain biking was through the legendary Team dFL of San Francisco, a concoction of bike messengers, cross dressers and passionate cyclists who have unquestionably helped shape the San Francisco cycling scene for the past 25 years. Living in Marin county, CA I was in the epicenter of the birth of mountain biking riding with pioneers, top athletes and innovators that included the Koski Brothers, the WTB family of Charlie Cunningham, Mark Slate and Steve Potts. An the sports O.Gs Gary Fisher, Joe Murray, Jackie Phelan, Daredevil Dan, Jungle John and Susan Demattai. All of this to say this ‘new’ gravel discipline felt so familiar, grass roots, participatory, fun, inclusive and approachable.
Working in high performance for many years and a focus on the pinnacle of women’s cycling – the Olympics, it seemed reasonable to think we should aim high and shoot for Unbound - the most prestigious gravel race in north America and arguably the world. I reached out to Kristi Mohn, Marketing Manager of Unbound and discussed the possibility of fielding a couple of athletes and secured entry back in October 2020. TWENTY24 were heading to Unbound, at this point it was just the name of a race, that would soon change as we started our research and planning….
The mission statement of Unbound - UNBOUND Gravel is a grassroots event, organized and managed by folks who are passionate about cycling, and have done so for the primary purpose of providing life-enriching cycling experiences for our event participants.
“Life-enriching cycling experiences” – We discover quickly that this was the truth!
