‘If I give him the wheel, he can win’ – The story of Keegan Swenson’s sacrifice to help Mads Würtz Schmidt triumph at Unbound Gravel 200

Keegan Swenson, Unbound Gravel 200 champion three years ago, was once again among the frontrunners at this year’s edition of the Kansas gravel epic. He’d end up in fifth place in Emporia and had some story to tell at the end of it.

In 2023, the Utahan outpaced Petr Vakoc and Lachlan Morton in a thrilling seven-rider sprint. On Saturday, he rounded out his race in fifth place, 24 minutes down on the winner, Specialized Off-Road teammate Mads Würtz Schmidt. With second-placed Matthew Beers also racing on the Specialized squad, it was a more than successful day on the bike.