Unbound Gravel

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

Course

Starting and ending in Emporia, the routes runs along rural roads in the Flint Hills of east-central Kansas. The course route varies each year, and can change directions from year to year (north or south route) from Emporia. In some years the temperature on the route has exceeded 100 °F (38 °C) in the afternoon, while other years have seen rain or hail, also severe weather is possible in Kansas. It is not uncommon for rain to occur before or during the race causing some dirt roads to turn 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. 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.

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

History

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

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

In 2019, the race had 2,750 registered riders.

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, then later were cancelled.

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". 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". The ensuing controversy resulted in his eventual firing by the event's parent company, Life Time Fitness. On October 29, 2020, it was announced that the name of the race would be changed to Unbound Gravel.

In 2021, the race had 2,626 registered riders.

In 2023, there was a total of over 4,000 registered riders for all races.

In 2024, there was a total of around 5,000 registered riders for all races, with 1,480 in the Unbound Gravel 200, and 1,829 in the Unbound Gravel 100. Riders came from all 50 U.S. States and 40 Countries.

Winners

• Rebecca Rusch is notable for placing first female in six events across three distances: XL race in 2018; 200 race in 2012 / 2013 / 2014; 100 race in 2016 and 2017.
• Lauren Stephens is notable for placing first female in three events of the 100 race: 2019 / 2021 / 2024.

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.

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.

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.

See also

• Ultra-distance cycling
• Leadville Trail 100 MTB, a mountain bike race in Leadville, Colorado
• Weather:

• Severe weather terminology (United States)
• National Weather Service Wichita, Kansas
• National Weather Service Topeka, Kansas

References

External links

• Official race website
• 2018 race footage (example of race and road conditions on south route)
• 2023 race footage (example of race and muddy road conditions)
• 2024 race footage (example of race and dry road conditions on north route) (fastest race)
• Highway maps: Emporia city map, Lyon County map (includes Emporia), Kansas map.