Gear and dealing with ability will play a giant half in who triumphs on the world’s marquee gravel race, Unbound Gravel, in a couple of week’s time.
The course description revealed immediately options the phrases’ rocks’, ‘rocky,’ ‘difficult’, and ‘flat tires’.
Following the mud-bogged mayhem of the 2023 occasion, characterised by ripped-off derailleurs and damaged frames, the 2024 version guarantees a problem of a distinct type with its chunkiest and most technical course but.
Let’s delve into the small print of the flagship 200-mile race, attracting a various area of contestants, from Lifetime Grand Prix professionals to novice fanatics and even Olympians, together with famend cyclists like Greg van Avermaet.
The 2024 Unbound Gravel Course: chunkier than ever
Lachlan Morton leads a breakaway group through the 2023 occasion
(Picture credit score: Snowy Mountain Pictures)
Going down on June 1st, the race by way of the Kansas Flint Hills provides 5 race distances and attracts 1000’s of individuals to the small city of Emporia, in the course of america.
Held since 2006, the notorious 200-mile course is a check of endurance, self-sufficiency and gear. Along with needing to gasoline oneself for 11+ hours of using, the sharp flint rocks are infamous for slicing tires and dashing podium aspirations. Alongside the best way, riders additionally have to cope with the undulating terrain, uncovered sun-baked roads, headwinds and, if in any respect moist, soul-sucking mud. For these in search of the final word problem, there is a 350-mile possibility generally known as Unbound XL, which sees riders struggling for twenty-four or extra hours.
For 2024, the Unbound Gravel race heads north, a path it has solely ventured twice earlier than. Rocky and technical, the 200-mile course may be its most difficult but, organizers say.
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The course covers 202.9 miles of harsh gravel roads with roughly 11,000 ft of climbing—greater than its earlier north course editions. Floor varieties will vary from quick gravel roads to chunky doubletrack and solely a little little bit of pavement, with 92% of the course marked as unpaved. There might be two checkpoints the place riders can meet their crews and obtain exterior assist and two impartial water assist ‘oases.’
Course highlights
(Picture credit score: Life Time)
After a quick begin, the primary check comes early at 25 miles into the race. Kaw Reserve Street is a rugged and technical double monitor problem the place the sharp rocks will problem riders’ tire selections.
Then at mile mark 45.5, Divide Street marks the hardest stretch of terrain of the 203-mile route. It is a straight shot however is might be a “relentless onslaught of tough, rocky paths,” organizers say.
The primary checkpoint takes place within the northernmost level of the course, within the city of Alma. From right here, the climbing begins, together with the Prairie View Street climb, Volland Street climb and Little Egypt; a steep and storied ascent over chunky rocks the place decisive race-winning strikes had been made in earlier editions of the race.
The longest climb of the day comes 175 miles into the race and is named Kahola Hill. This is an uncovered and infrequently windswept problem earlier than tackling a collection of rollers the place wind might play a major issue as nicely.
This yr, the course approaches the finale in Emporia from the east, however the notorious final punch to the intestine, Highland Hill, stays a characteristic earlier than coming into the end straight on Industrial Avenue.
