Four new names have been added to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame.
As has become tradition as part of Unbound week in Emporia, the official hall of fame induction ceremony took place inside of the Emporia Granada Theatre Wednesday evening. Among the inductees was Emporia’s own Lelan Dains, one of the founders of the DK200, which would evolve into the Unbound series of races we have come to know today.
While speaking with KVOE News Wednesday evening, Dains stated, “For a kid who never had any dreams, this is a dream come true.”
Another member of the 2025 Hall of Fame class was John L. Hobbs, who has had his hand in the gravel world since the 1980s who founded and promoted the Matfield Green 100k, which eventually morphed into the Flint Hills Death Ride, an event credited as one of the first modern-era gravel road events. Of his induction, Hobbs stated his induction was a “very affirming” moment for him.
Joining Dains and Hobbs in the Hall of Fame this year was two-time Unbound 200 winner Amanda Nauman Sheek whose first win came in the infamous “mud year” in 2015, with the second coming the next year in 2016. In addition to her accolades on the bike, Sheek has also been a dedicated promoter and champion for the sport of gravel cycling.
She told KVOE News Wednesday that the hall of fame was created to celebrate the history of the sport and she’s very proud to be recognized as an important piece of that history.
Rounding out the 2025 class was fellow two-time Unbound winner Ted King also joined the hall Wednesday evening, saying the location for the induction is fitting for a few reasons, one his gravel career began in Emporia and Unbound has become an “International mecca” for the sport over the years.
Before making the move to gravel cycling, King was an accomplished road cyclist who competed at the highest level in both the US and Europe. In addition to his pair of Unbound wins, King has also claimed victories at SBT Gravel, Grinduro, UnPaved and many more.
Unbound activities will continue to ramp up over the next few days, starting with the All Things Gravel Expo, which officially opens at 1 pm Thursday and will continue through Saturday. There are more shakeout rides, more music and more check-in activities Friday. KVOE will have Talk of Emporia at the Lyon County History Center from 11 am to noon Friday, followed by more reports between 12-1 pm.
Friday afternoon will see the launch of the XL 350-mile ride from Eighth and Commercial at 3 pm. All other race distances will launch Saturday morning at the following times:
*The Elite Men 200-mile category starts at 5:50 am Saturday, followed by the Elite Women at 6:05 am and the remaining 200-mile riders at 6:30 am.
*100-mile riders launch at 7:30 am.
*50-mile junior riders begin at 8:30 am, followed by other 50-mile riders at 9 am.
*25-mile participants launch at 9:30 am
The annual Finish Line Party goes from 11 am to midnight Saturday.
Awards will be split between Saturday and Sunday, with riders in the 50- and 100-mile rides getting their awards Saturday afternoon at the Granada Theatre. Riders in the XL and 200 will get their awards starting at 8 am Sunday at the Granada.
2025 Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame inductees
Amanda Nauman Sheek. Photo by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News.
John L. Hobbs. Photo by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News.
Ted King. Photo by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News.
Lelan Dains. Photo by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News.
