Unbound Gravel number 20 is officially off and running, or rather rolling through the Flint Hills.
The 20th annual series of races officially began Friday afternoon with the launch of the Unbound XL 350-mile ride, with nearly 300 competitors taking to the course. Already, the XL has demonstrated the unpredictable nature of Flint Hills Gravel riding with many of the front-runners going out in the evening and overnight hours, including reigning men’s and women’s champions Rob Britton who set the course record last year.
Race Director Shawn Thurman, ahead of the men’s elite 200 launch Saturday morning, says that unpredictability is what makes Unbound such an exciting event.
Following the launch of the XL was the elite men’s 200 competitors just before sunrise Saturday and the elite women’s 200 shortly after. In the mass 200-mile ride, 1,800 competitors are on the course representing all 50 US states, 53 countries and six continents.
Riders will be facing some harsh conditions, including “chunky gravel,” long patches of mud and the possibility of some showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. KVOE asked Thurman if he expects this to catch any of the riders off guard or cause any additional issues throughout the day.
He says the weather always plays a factor in the outcome, but it won’t shock anyone.
In recent years, Unbound has been a record-setting event with riders shattering previous speeds and times on multiple occasions across all distances. Thurman says administrators are not anticipating 2026 being a “record year,” but they’ve been surprised more than once before.
Stay tuned to KVOE throughout the day as we will be bringing you updates on the races on KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media. For video from Friday and Saturday’s race launches, visit KVOE’s Facebook page or YouTube Channel.
