Unbound clash sees several top names missing from Australian Gravel Championships, but Tiffany Cromwell and Mark O’Brien set to defend titles

The AusCycling National Gravel Championships is set to unfold in South Australia this weekend, positioned in a slot in the calendar which means some of Australia’s more decorated gravel cyclists have had to make a difficult choice this year – race the world’s most revered gravel event, Unbound, or chase the green and gold stripes.

Defending champions Mark O’Brien and Tiffany Cromwell – a repeat winner at Unbound 100 – will be lining up in Ponderosa Pines this weekend, though 2024 victors Courtney Sherwell and Brendan Johnston – who just added another UCI Gravel World Series victory to his tally at SEVEN in Nannup earlier this month – will both be in Kansas.