Unbound Gravel
Race details
DateFirst weekend after Memorial Day
RegionFlint Hills around Emporia, Kansas, United States
DisciplineGravel cycling
CompetitionProfessional and amateur
Race directorBen Sachs[1]
Web siteunboundgravel.com
History
First edition2006[2]

Unbound Gravel, formerly known as the Dirty Kanza, is an event comprising gravel racing covering various distances held annually during the late spring in the Flint Hills region of the Great Plains around Emporia, Kansas, United States.[3][4] The race's organizers refer to the 200 miles (320 km) mile race as the "World's Premiere Gravel Grinder",[5] and ranked as one of the top gravel bike races.[6][7] [8]

Course

Starting and ending in Emporia, the routes runs along rural roads in the Flint Hills of east-central Kansas.[3] In some years the temperature on the route has exceeded 100 °F (38 °C), while other years have seen rain or hail.[9] It is not uncommon for rain to turn some dirt roads into "mud roads".

There are checkpoints spaced about 50 miles apart for longer races, and riders must carry water and food, as well as fix their own tires and bikes.[10][11] If riders receive outside support at any location other than official checkpoints it will result in immediate disqualification. Riders may assist other riders by any means and at any time.[3]

Events

Originally, the event was started as a 200-mile (320 km) mile race, but over the years additional lengths have been added to encourage more riders to give it a chance. Though the name of the race distances are rounded off to nice numerical values, the actual distance of each race is slightly different.

The event consists of the following races:

  • Unbound Gravel XL is a 350-mile (560 km) race. It was introduced in 2018.[12]
  • Unbound Gravel 200 is a 200-mile (320 km) race. The original Dirty Kanza ultra endurance gravel bicycling challenge was started in 2006.[13]
  • Unbound Gravel 100 is a 100-mile (160 km) race. It was introduced in 2013.[9]
  • Unbound Gravel 50 is a 50-mile (80 km) race. It was introduced in 2013.[9]
  • Unbound Gravel 25 is a 25-mile (40 km) race. It was introduced in 2013.[9]
  • Unbound Gravel Junior is a 25-mile (40 km) race for 7th to 12th grade teens.

History

Waiting for Dirty Kanza bike race to start at sunrise in Emporia, Kansas

In 2006, the first year of Dirty Kanza had 34 riders.[13] It was organized by Joel Dyke and Jim Cummins, and modeled off of similar rides Trans-Iowa and the Flint Hills Death Ride.[14]

In 2018, Life Time Fitness purchased Dirty Kanza Productions.[15] That year the race had 2,500 registered riders.[16]

In 2019, the race had 2,750 registered riders.[17]

Several changes occurred in 2020. First the races were postponed from May 29–31 to September 10–13 because of the ongoing worldwide COVID-19 pandemic issues,[18] then later were cancelled.[19]

Organizers considered a name change for the event to remove reference to Kaw nation (also known as Kanza) based on an online petition despite representatives of the Kaw Nation responding to the allegations, saying "Life Time and the Kaw Nation are proud of our relationship, which is built upon mutual respect, dignity, and integrity" and "It was felt that 'Kanza' paid homage to the region (the Kanza Prairie), to its rich history, and to all things associated with the region, including the Kaw Nation".[20][21] The same year, the event's surviving founder made a statement that the police shooting of an intoxicated black man in Atlanta who grabbed an officer's taser and fired it at the officer was "justified".[22] The ensuing controversy resulted in his eventual firing by the event's parent company, Life Time Fitness.[23][24] On October 29, 2020, it was announced that the name of the race would be changed to Unbound Gravel.[25]

In 2021, the race had 2,626 registered riders.[13]

Winners

Rebecca Rusch is notable for placing first female in six events across three distances: DK XL in 2018; DK 200 in 2012 / 2013 / 2014; DK 100 in 2016 and 2017.

Unbound Gravel XL

Before 2020, the race was known as the Dirty Kanza XL (or DK XL). This 350 mile race was first held in 2018. Results verified at Athlinks.[26]

YearMaleFemale
2023United States Logan KasperUnited States Kristen Legan
2022United States William HarrisonUnited States Cynthia Frazier
2021United States Taylor LideenUnited States Lael Wilcox
2020N/A (race cancelled)N/A (race cancelled)
2019United States Jay PetervaryUnited States Lael Wilcox
2018United States Matt AckerUnited States Rebecca Rusch

Unbound Gravel 200

Before 2020, the race was known as the Dirty Kanza 200 (or DK 200). This 200 mile race was first held in 2006. Results verified at Athlinks.[26]

YearMaleFemale
2023United States Keegan SwensonGermany Carolin Schiff
2022Netherlands Ivar SlikArgentinaUnited States Sofía Gómez Villafañe
2021United States Ian BoswellUnited States Lauren De Crescenzo
2020N/A (race cancelled)N/A (race cancelled)
2019United States Colin StricklandUnited States Amity Rockwell
2018United States Ted KingUnited States Kaitlin Keough
2017United States Mat StephensUnited States Alison Tetrick
2016United States Ted KingUnited States Amanda Nauman
2015United States Yuri HauswaldUnited States Amanda Nauman
2014United States Brian JensenUnited States Rebecca Rusch
2013United States Dan HughesUnited States Rebecca Rusch
2012United States Dan HughesUnited States Rebecca Rusch
2011United States Dan HughesUnited States Betsy Shogren
2010United States Corey GodfreyUnited States Emily Brock
2009United States Michael MarchandN/A
2008United States Cameron ChambersUnited States Kristen High
2007United States Steve GoetzelmanUnited States Leslie Hiemenz
2006United States Dan HughesN/A

Unbound Gravel 100

Before 2020, the race was known as the DK 100. This 100 mile race was first held in 2013 as the DK Half Pint. It became an official race distance in 2019. Results verified at Athlinks.[26]

YearMaleFemale
2023United States David BrowerUnited Kingdom Tiffany Cromwell
2022United States Ethan OversonUnited States Marisa Boaz
2021United States Stephen HydeUnited States Lauren Stephens
2020N/A (race cancelled)N/A (race cancelled)
2019United States Ashton LambieUnited States Lauren Stephens
2018United States Matthew AccarrinoUnited States Erica Mueller
2017United States Steven BaxterUnited States Rebecca Rusch
2016United States Guy AlvarezUnited States Rebecca Rusch
2015United States Austin MorrisUnited States Jennifer Rhoades
2014United States David WilsonUnited States Danielle Pellicano
2013United States Mark SchloegelUnited States Lynn Malir

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Contact". Dirty Kanza. 2010-12-11. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  2. ↑ Taylor Rojek (8 August 2018). "Gravel Rides are Saving Small-Town America". Bicycling.com. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)". Dirty Kanza. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020.
  4. ↑ Legan, Nick (20 December 2017). Gravel Cycling: The Complete Guide to Gravel Racing and Adventure Bikepacking. VeloPress. ISBN 978-1-937716-98-1.
  5. ↑ "Photo Gallery: Grit and Gravel at the 2018 Dirty Kanza 200". Cyclocross Magazine. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  6. ↑ "Top 10 gravel races in the USA". Cycling News. June 16, 2020. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021.
  7. ↑ Global Cycling Network Top Five Gravel Events on YouTube
  8. ↑ "Extreme Race's Allure Is Simple: 200 Miles of Gravel". The New York Times. Associated Press. 23 May 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Farrel, Sean Patrick (11 June 2013). "Neither Wind Nor Gravel Will Stop These Grinders". The New York Times.
  10. ↑ Taylor, Tom (14 June 2017). "What it's like to race in the Dirty Kanza 200". Sports Illustrated.
  11. ↑ Ian Dille (7 July 2015). The Cyclist's Bucket List: A Celebration of 75 Quintessential Cycling Experiences. Rodale. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-62336-446-5.
  12. ↑ Spencer Powlison (31 May 2018). "Dirty Kanza goes big with new 350-mile race". VeloNews. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 "Unbound Gravel rebounds with stellar fields and prairie pain – Preview". Cycling News. June 2, 2021. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Joel "Big Grin" Dyke". Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  15. ↑ "Life Time Fitness acquires Dirty Kanza". 18 September 2018.
  16. ↑ "Dirty Kanza 200 Quick Facts". Dirty Kanza. 2018-01-23. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  17. ↑ The 2019 Dirty Kanza Could Be the Toughest in History; May 29, 2019.
  18. ↑ "2020 Event Status Update (Postponement)". Dirty Kanza. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020.
  19. ↑ "2020 Event Status Update (Cancelled)". Dirty Kanza. Archived from the original on July 9, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Dirty Kanza organizers are considering options for a possible name change". CyclingTips. 2020-06-23. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  21. ↑ "Dirty Kanza responds to campaign petitioning for name change based on racist allegations". 20 April 2020.
  22. ↑ "Dirty Kanza boss fired over 'inappropriate and insensitive' comment". VeloNews.com. 2020-06-21. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  23. ↑ Samples, Chuck. "Dirty Kanza founder fired from Life Time Fitness over social media post on officer-involved shooting". www.kvoe.com. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  24. ↑ Giddings, Caitlin (2020-07-15). "Why the Name of a Major Gravel Event Is Being Changed". Outside Online. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  25. ↑ "The Dirty Kanza is now Unbound Gravel". VeloNews.com. 2020-10-29. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
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