Gray skies and rain gave way to full sunshine — and the fastest times in Unbound Gravel history — on Saturday.
Unbound XL riders started coming into Emporia some 20 hours after they left Friday. William Harrison finished the course in 20 hours, 17 minutes, well ahead of last year’s prior mark of just under 23 hours. Harrison’s day job is as an accountant, but he’s been training for longer rides for a while.
The top women’s finisher was Cynthia Frazier in 22 hours and 25 minutes. Tina Hart, meanwhile, finished in 26 hours, 43 minutes.
In the 200, Ivar Slik won the men’s race in 9 hours and 22 minutes, while Sofia Gomez Villafane won the women’s race in 10 hours, 27 minutes.
For the 100, Ethan Overson won the men’s event in 5 hours, 1 minute, while Marisa Boaz won the women’s race in 5:23.
Riders from Emporia and across the globe took part. Jerry Schrock of Emporia made it through the 100 despite literally breaking his seat during his ride.
Involved in the 50 were Nicolas Paquin and Jean-Francois Bianchi, both of Montreal, Canada. Paquin says “it was a painful time but a good time.”
Bianchi says Paquin got him interested in Unbound.
Valerie Shows came to Emporia from Pensacola, Florida, to be part of the 25-mile ride. She says it was an overwhelming experience — in a good way.
Vice Mayor Danny Giefer says a return to the pre-pandemic operations is good for Emporia.
Main Street Director Casey Woods says riders from elsewhere fall in love with Emporia because of Unbound.
Visit Emporia Director LeLan Dains, the Unbound race director for a decade before changing jobs, cited a VeloNews article recently that called Unbound “the most important gravel race in the world.” He says top riders around the world have flocked to Emporia the past few years, and that trend will likely continue — especially after record times this weekend.
Unbound Marketing Manager Kristi Mohn says it was an amazing day.
This was also an emotional weekend for the cycling community. Cyclists are still processing the apparent murder of top rider Moriah Wilson last month. The suspect in that case, Kaitlyn Armstrong, has not been captured. She is considered armed and dangerous and has been told by US Marshals to surrender. Armstrong is the girlfriend of past 200 men’s champion Colin Strickland, but authorities say Strickland had a romantic relationship with Wilson while dating Armstrong.
Also, on Friday, 200-mile rider Greg Bachman of Frisco, Colorado, was killed while biking just west of Emporia. Bachman hit a pickup near Roads 190 and F. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Over 4,000 cyclists were involved, including riders from all 50 states and 44 countries. Click here for KVOE Sports’ coverage of Unbound Gravel.
Local and area results
Unbound Gravel 200
221: Corey Smith, Emporia. 12:32.12
252: Hunter Williams, Emporia. 12:46.41
303: Paulina Batiz, Emporia. 13:09.22
307: Michael Reynolds, Emporia. 13:09.59
608: Warren Nelson, Emporia. 14:45.28
693: Robert Spatta, Emporia. 15:13.40
714: Joe Russell, Americus. 15:32.26
731: Noah Peters, Cottonwood Falls. 15:40.29
744: Andrew Kraft, Emporia. 15:48.06
752: Bobby Thompson, Emporia. 15:50.08
800: JR Glenn, Olpe. 16:02.49
803: Joel Warneke, Emporia. 16:04.47
804: Garrett Falk, Harveyville. 16:04.07
805: Isaac Metcalfe, Emporia. 16:04.27
829: Addison Pierce, Emporia. 16:14.46
836: Brandon Jones, Emporia. 16:17.25
840: Drew Detwiler, Emporia. 16:20.16
897: Daniel Geontzel, Emporia. 16:47.22
920: Todd Detwiler, Emporia. 17:03.51
940: Philip Lee, Emporia. 17:11.07
955: Robert Pugh, Americus. 17:20.38
972: Justin Mallon, Emporia. 17:30.50
973: Sasha Mallon, Emporia. 17:30.53
997: Lyn Blubaugh, Madison. 17:55.05
1028: Brad Kraft, Emporia. 18:32.10
1039: David Krumme, Emporia. 18:48.03
1070: Gregg Eichorn, Emporia. 19:38.43
Unbound Gravel 100
104: Dylan McEwin, Emporia. 6:10.00
114: Jeff Young, Emporia. 6:12.13
127: Jeff Lovgren, Emporia. 6:16.11
239: Phillip Tidwell, Emporia. 6:50.26
260: Geyson Deley, Emporia. 7:00.19
410: Jeff Koch, Emporia. 7:35.17
450: John Mezquite, Emporia. 7:44.46
501: Richard Hannah, Emporia. 7:52.00
547: Brandon Bennett, Emporia. 8:04.09
576: Nathan Davenport, New Strawn. 8:11.51
593: Dave Kirk, Council Grove. 8:17.48
614: Jerry Kraus, Emporia. 8:24.34
638: Denis Sandoval, Emporia. 8:32.56
675: Spencer Tressler, Emporia. 8:39.18
723: Chase Snider, Emporia. 8:48.13
744: Daren Morey, Emporia. 8:51.23
756: Tamir Zuckerman, Emporia. 8:54.41
758: Bobbie Williams, Emporia. 8:58.41
759: Hayden Perry, Emporia. 8:55.29
763: Michael Helbert, Emporia. 8:56.33
805: James Markel, Lebo. 9:04.17
809: Will Phillips, Emporia. 9:05.32
840: Christopher Pond, Emporia. 9:14.43
858: Rick Smith, Burlington. 9:17.57
893: Shawn Keough, Emporia. 9:30.29
896: Shawn Coble, Emporia. 9:32.29
905: Christopher Correll, Emporia. 9:37.23
906: Zebulon Peak, Emporia. 9:37.23
908: Jamie Schmidt, Emporia. 9:37.35
917: Tyler Chitanavong, Emporia, 9:40.40
919: William Kraft, Emporia. 9:41.27
939: Neil Dean, Emporia. 9:49.57
965: Tasia Markowitz, Olpe. 10:04.58
970: Elizabeth Tabares, Emporia. 10:07.56
971: Mario Tabares, Emporia. 10:07.59
981: Alexa Parks, Emporia. 10:31.37
982: Jerry Schrock, Emporia. 10:14.49
987: Katherine Eusey-Zuckerman, Emporia. 10:19.14
1007: Casey Winter, Emporia. 10:35.24
1011: Maureen Smith, Emporia. 10:39.47
1013: Natasha Jenkins, Osage City. 10:42.26
1014: Karie Fehr, Lebo. 11:53.40
1056: Jenny Markel, Lebo. 11:53.40
1068: John Keosybounheuang, Emporia. 13:12.53
Unbound Gravel 50
60: Quentin Coffman, Emporia. 3:08.47
65: Dorian Logan, Emporia. 3:09.54
110: Riley Neff, Emporia. 3:21.06
127: Tayla Judd, Emporia. 3:24.30
185: Nicholas May, Olpe:3:44.16
202: Mike Kraft, Emporia. 3:48.07
245: Braxton Criger, Emporia. 3:57.02
251: Rufino Ayala, Waverly. 3:57.48
265: Monica Howard, Emporia. 3:59.54
279: Larry Lewis, Emporia. 4:03.18
294: Loren Strahm, Emporia. 4:05.12
299: Kenan Strahm, Emporia. 4:05.22
337: Josh Weller, Emporia. 4:14.26
339: Tim Hammye, Gridley. 4:14.44
369: Nevik Stock, Emporia. 4:29.07
370: Emily Blackwell, Emporia. 4:29.53
373: Jarod Scheve, Emporia. 4:30.17
374: Lou Ann Krumme, Emporia. 4:30.17
382: Jeremiah Ciero, Americus. 4:32.10
383: Nathanial Ciero, Americus. 4:32.10
389: Dack Barnett, Emporia. 4:34.17
390: Matthew Torres, Emporia. 4:34.50
402: Claire Weaver, Emporia. 4:46.23
419: Paul Clarkson, Waverly. 5:00.32
438: Logan Silva, Emporia. 5:07.35
454: Ronda Henery, Emporia. 5:17.24
456: Heath Brown, Emporia. 5:19.17
467: Lisa Turner, Emporia. 5:27.57
468: Tim Harris, Emporia. 5:27.57
473: Mark Gibbons, Emporia. 5:30.40
477: Lori Siebenaler, Emporia. 5:34.24
480: Joan Brewer, 5:36.02
485: Brandi Mitchell, Emporia. 5:38.38
486: Susan Severin, Emporia. 5:38.39
490: Mandey Serig, Emporia. 5:49.57
493: Hailey Anstey, Americus. 5:55.37
499: Heather Ruble, Emporia. 6:05.36
501: Jason Hendry, Emporia. 6:17.51
505: Paul Foster, Emporia. 7:02.45
Unbound Gravel 25
5: John Cushing, Emporia. 1:30.33
8: Brayden Criger, Emporia. 1:32.51
9: Braden Ary, Emporia. 1:32.54
14: Shiloh Arguella, Emporia. 1:39.57
18: Ansen Balkenhol, Emporia. 1:44.22
27: Daylen Ballinger, Olpe. 1:48.15
28: Becky Ballinger, Olpe: 1:48.15
29: Kim Dunaway, Gridley. 1:48.18
36: Kolton Wyatt, Emporia. 1:54.56
42: Austin Elliott, Emporia. 1:59.52
44. Alice Brown, Council Grove. 2:00.24
45: Brian Brown, Council Grove. 2:00.25
49: Skyler Douglas, Emporia. 2:00.44
67: Jim Henry, Council Grove. 2:05.42
74: Father Carter Zielinski, Emporia. 2:08.16
77: Allen Butts, Melvern. 2:09.43
78: Ron Dinkel, Emporia. 2:12.18
79: Autumn Washington, Emporia. 2:12.32
89: Jaime Muckenthaler, Lebo. 2:15.02
90: Sheila Kelley, Emporia. 2:15.02
107: Bryson Ary, Emporia. 2:20.57
108: Sean Bulinski, Emporia. 2:21.22
109: Archer Wilson, Emporia. 2:22.34
110: Caden Wilson, Emporia. 2:22.43
113: Tracy Edwards, Emporia. 2:23.19
115: Mickey Edwards, Emporia. 2:23.19
116: Noah Edwards, Emporia. 2:23.45
118: Gary Post, Emporia. 2:23.48
121: Calvin Strahm, Emporia. 2:27.33
122: Kathy Strahm, Emporia. 2:27.37
123: Scott Strahm, Emporia, 2:27.49
127: Kent Schnakenberg, Emporia. 2:28.14
128: Mark Schnakenberg, Emporia. 2:28.16
130: Jessica Williams, Emporia. 2:29.54
131: Curtis Jones, Emporia. 2:29.56
132: Zoe Albers, Lyndon. 2:30.25
136: Margaret Grimwood, Emporia. 2:35.18
137: Aidan Grimwood, Emporia. 2:35.19
138: Susette Schwartz, Eureka. 2:35.44
144: Tauna Cornell, Emporia. 2:45.29
145: Alan Spain, Emporia. 2:45.29
146: Janaya Curfew, Emporia. 2:45.39
151: John Doldge, Lebo. 2:46.16
153: Candace Montgomery, Emporia. 2:56.02
155: Gage Jennings, Emporia. 2:56.08
156: Gavin Jennings, Emporia. 2:56.08
160: Steve Wyatt, Emporia. 4:01.30
161: Alicia Criger, Emporia. 4:01.31
Unbound Juniors
19: Garrett Hammond, Olpe. 1:30.53
26. Julian Lerch-Davila. 1:57.46
KVOE News reporter Tagan Trahoon contributed to this report.
