Gravel season’s prime occasion, the 200-mile Unbound Gravel race, is only a week away and each the competitors and the race course are slated to be harder than ever earlier than
Following the mud-bogged mayhem of the 2023 occasion, this yr’s version guarantees a problem of a unique type. The course is headed north, a course it has solely ventured twice earlier than, the place a “relentless onslaught of tough, rocky paths” awaits the riders.
Up to now few years, Unbound has seen an rising quantity of non-American riders making the trek to Kansas to see what all the fuss is about, and competitors is fiercer than ever earlier than. In 2022, Dutchman Ivar Slik grew to become the primary non-American to win Unbound 200 as a part of a Dutch contingent of racers led by Laurens ten Dam. A yr later, Carolin Schiff from Germany grew to become the primary non-American winner of the ladies’s 200-mile race. Today, the beginning line is stuffed with former WorldTour roadies, mountain bike Olympians, former skilled rowers and triathletes, all drawn to the long-distance problem and journey of gravel racing.
“It is the deepest discipline we have had,” feedback Peter Stetina, who was among the many first to ditch the WorldTour for the burgeoning gravel self-discipline.
Three years into the Life Time Grand Prix, loads of the North American rivals are “identified portions,” he says. “There aren’t any surprises there. I feel the large query is the inflow of European riders.”
New amongst the European contingent at Unbound Gravel is none apart from Olympic champion and Paris-Roubaix winner Greg van Avermaet.
Identical to different 1000’s of Unbound hopefuls, the Belgian entered the race lottery and waited for his title to be drawn. Now, simply days away from the large “journey,” as he calls it, Van Avermaet admits that he is a tad terrified of each the distance and the technical nature of the course.
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“I am nonetheless terrified of the space,” he says. “And you need to set up loads of issues, be taught and be prepared for the whole lot. Additionally material-wise, it is essential. I underestimated it somewhat bit. However I can be prepared and I’ll do my greatest and maintain an open thoughts.”
Belgian Greg van Avermaet has spent a complete of 11 days within the yellow jersey of the Tour de France
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
After 17 seasons on the prime, Van Avermaet retired as a legend from the WorldTour peloton on the finish of 2023. By no means removed from the sharp finish of races, Van Avermaet loved a fruitful profession with wins at a few of the largest Spring Classics, together with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, E3 Harelbeke, Gent-Wevelgem and, in fact, the celebrated Paris-Roubaix in 2017 when he entered the velodrome a part of a bunch of 5 riders and got here out on prime.
Additional profession highlights embody Olympic gold on the 2016 Rio Olympics, profitable Tirreno-Adriatico, the GC on the Belgium Tour, and clinching two phases of the Tour de France (the place he additionally racked up a complete of 11 days within the yellow jersey).
Doing ‘journey stuff,’ some triathlons and ‘different issues he could not do’ whereas racing on the WorldTour was on the Belgian’s thoughts for some time, he admits, and he eagerly jumped in earlier than he’d even raced his final street race. He completed fourth general on the first official UCI Gravel World Championships and received the Spanish gravel triathlon SGRAIL 100.
Firstly of 2024, he was swept up by Workforce Final Dance, a professional gravel crew created by attire model Isadore, which additionally consists of fellow WorldTour pro–turned-gravel rider Petr Vakoč from the Czech Republic and Douwe Doorduin, a Dutch filmmaker and racer. His calendar consists of the Gravel Earth Collection, some UCI gravel races and championships when doable, and, in fact, the 200-mile Unbound.
Regardless of his cobblestone pedigree and thirst for journey, life as a gravel racer hasn’t come straightforward, nonetheless.
“I am having fun with life however it’s fairly arduous,” Van Avermaet says.
The so-called privateer hustle sees riders plan their personal season –race registrations and journey logistics included–, check and put together their personal tools, scout the programs and, in fact, practice for the long-distance occasions.
“It’s a must to admit, I used to be fairly spoiled driving with a giant crew,” the 39-year-old acknowledges. “It takes loads of time – virtually 20 hours every week, which is near my skilled biking life. However I’ve loads of issues happening on the facet for the second, so it makes it fairly difficult to be at a superb degree.”
After which there’s the technical facet of the terrain to contemplate as effectively. Gravel racing in America is as a lot a check of health as it’s tools and bike dealing with.
“The course, from what I’ve seen from the photographs, has some actually huge rocks and it scares me somewhat bit,” Van Avermaet admits. “It’s a must to watch out along with your bike. On the street bike, I might deal with my bike fairly effectively on the cobblestones. I used to be actually cautious to not flat. Roubaix, I did it 12-15 instances, and I solely have one time a flat tire. However yeah, gravel racing is extra about luck additionally.”
Van Avermaet has been searching for insights and recommendation from those that have executed it earlier than, and will not be going it alone in Emporia. New teammate Petr Vakoč, recent off his win on the Traka 200, will deal with the Unbound journey alongside the Belgian, although the 2 didn’t devise a crew technique, Van Avermaet says.
Former BMC Racing teammate Stetina actually considers Van Avermaet a menace and can wish to keep away from bringing the Belgian with him to the road.
“He is aware of the U. S. type and the approach to life, so he’ll be completely snug right here. However I do not know the way a lot observe Greg has – you recognize, plugging his tires and all of the homework earlier than, but when it comes all the way down to legs, I imply, everybody’s bought to must be Greg,” he says.
“I feel it can be extra fascinating to see how the firepower on the entrance modifications issues. Gravel is virtually a totally completely different sport than even in 2021, the final time we went north, in order that’ll be actually fascinating, and I feel it may be a record-breaking yr right here regardless.”
