The words elite riders used to describe the 2023 Unbound Gravel had a similar ring: mayhem, brutal, unforgiving, survival, wild. The consistent theme from the pros, and many amateurs, was ‘205 miles of pain’ for the flagship event.
Last year’s runner-up Keegan Swenson won the men’s elite division in a seven-rider rush to the finish in Emporia, while Carolin Schiff won the women’s title with a 15-minute margin over last year’s champion Sofia Gomez Villafañe.
What began as a muddy section just beyond mile 10 became a horrific mess as thousands, not hundreds, of riders passed over the same section, known as D Hill. The procession of riders became a painful parade in heavy mud and wet grass and more than two miles uphill.
Few riders could ride the section, with the exception some of the elite men at the front who got a two-minute start on the elite women and a 10-minute advantage on the mass of amateurs. Many riders suffered race-delaying or race-ending mechanical issues, and a beat-down to physical fortitude, because of the muck and madness.
While most of the attention on social media provided intermittent play-by-play on the Unbound 200, the Unbound 100 was just as challenging. David Brower won the men’s 100-mile race in a sprint on Saturday and Tiffany Cromwell rode solo across the line for the elite women’s title.
In the XL 350 (yes, 350 miles), 47 out of 71 riders finished with official times, six of them women. Logan Kasper of Massachusetts won for the men in a time of 22:54:25 and Kristen Legan of Colorado won for the women, 26:06:35.
Cyclingnews picked the five major talking points from Unbound Gravel, with all riders across all five distances considered to be heroes for their dedication to gravel.
For the pros or the masses?
Unbound Gravel now draws professional riders from around the world who seek a prestigious win at the pinnacle event of gravel racing. The reality is that while the elite men and women may draw the lion’s share of the attention, they are just a fraction of the 4,000-strong competitors in Kansas.
Combining the top riders in the world race with well-conditioned amateurs and weekend warriors – all on the same course – has become part of the lore and legend of Unbound, as it captures the imagination of the growing legion of gravel devotees.
“This race is very special. It caters to amateurs, not just professionals,” 2021 winner Ian Boswell said after his ride, rolling in fifth in a seven-rider sprint finish. “I came to this sport…
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