Profound shakeups, spills, splashes and wild wheel changes at Unbound Gravel 2026 – Conclusions on what unravelled and what worked

Unbound Gravel always delivers such a full spectrum of racing performances – from the good, the bad and the ugly. The riders seem to get faster with each edition, this year the signature 200-mile contest celebrating its 20th anniversary, no matter the course direction or conditions.

Speaking of fast, the technological advances with gravel bikes, tyres and components is as much of a whirlwind of forward motion as the riders who work their magic on the equipment come race day. Gravel has gone aero. Tyres and wheels are bigger, bikes are lighter and riders just go faster.