Unbound Gravel is the world’s most prestigious, highest-profile gravel race. It takes place at the end of May/beginning of June each year, starting and finishing in Emporia, Kansas.
A town of around 24,000 residents, Emporia swells over the event weekend as thousands of gravel racers, support crews and spectators descend for the racing.
There’s more than one Unbound race. The most prestigious is the 200-mile event, but there are also 25-, 50- and 100-mile courses, a junior race over 50 miles and Unbound XL – a 350-mile overnight epic for the hardcore.
All take in the extensive network of gravel roads in the Flint Hills, with the exact route and distance varying from year to year.
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The routes are undulating rather than hilly; Unbound 200 has 1,251m of elevation gain and even the XL event only climbs 2,020m in total. The main difficulties are the rivers to ford and, if it rains before or during the event, some stretches can comprise sticky mud.
In 2023, many contestants did not finish or took to walking parts of the course, due to the ‘peanut butter-consistency’ mud clogging their wheels. The flint in the Flint Hills' name hints at another major obstacle facing competitors, while the heat and humidity mean carrying adequate fluids is vital.
There are watering points and checkpoints along the way though, at least for Unbound 200, with three checkpoints plus another two water-only stops on the course. Unbound XL riders are unsupported and left to fend for themselves at stores en route.
Riders of the shorter distance events must have a support crew stationed at a checkpoint to supply food and fluids, assist with mechanicals and collect them if they abandon the race.
When does Unbound Gravel 2026 take place?
Rather than a one-day event, there’s a series of ride-outs, exhibitions, concerts and more spread out over close to a week leading up to Unbound.
The main gravel races are on a Saturday, although Unbound XL starts on Friday afternoon. There’s an awards ceremony on Sunday morning.
In 2026, the main Unbound Gravel races start this Saturday, 30 May. By tradition, the mass start from Emporia is at 6am, with the elite races starting 10 minutes earlier.
Unbound XL starts at 3pm on the afternoon of Friday 29 May and participants ride overnight, finishing on the Saturday. There are cut-off times for all distances.
Who races Unbound?
At the pointy end, Unbound 200 is raced by an international cast of elite gravel pros, and a fair few current and former road and MTB professionals. Unbound is part of the Life Time Grand Prix, which is open to 50 pro competitors, includes six gravel and XC MTB races, and offers a $50,000 prize for the best overall male and female racers. There's an additional $60,000 prize for winning Unbound 200.
The 2025 women’s event was won in 10 hours, 3 minutes and 54 seconds by Polish gravel pro Karolina Migoń of Pas Normal Studios-sponsored PAS Racing. She’s back to defend her title this year.
The men’s winner was New Zealander Cameron Jones in a time of 8 hours, 37 minutes and 9 seconds. He, too, is back this year and will be riding a prototype Scott gravel bike with 32in wheels.
He reckons the new bike will give him the edge, saying: “The driving traction and cornering grip is revolutionary. I'm genuinely scared how fast I'll be able to corner once on a course with proper descent.”
Unbound Gravel tech
Much like the Grand Tours on the road side, Unbound is a key event for gravel tech, with pros taking part in the elite event given the pick of their sponsors’ best kit.
It often includes as-yet-unlaunched products, making Unbound a great place to spot new gravel race bikes, wheels, groupsets and more.
Unbound XL, in particular, pushes the envelope. While 2025 runner-up Lachlan Morton rode a fairly standard Cannondale Topstone, the winner Rob Britton added a suspension fork to his Factor Ostro Gravel. Chris Mehlman placed tenth on a Pivot LES SL mountain bike frame decked out with drop bars and 2in tyres.
But Unbound isn’t only a pro event. Anyone can apply to ride any of the Unbound distances. It’s oversubscribed each year, so potential riders have to apply to a lottery for places, which for the 2026 event was in November 2025, with only successful applicants charged the entry fee. You can also opt to support one of Unbound's charity partners and receive a guaranteed entry.
This varies between $75 for the 25-mile route and $345 for the 200-mile event. An XL entry costs $270.
Riders are allowed to draft each other, and larger groups tend to form over the long, open gravel roads. Aero bar extensions can also be used, although not by the elite riders, for safety reasons.
How many Unbound Gravel races have there been?
The Unbound Gravel race began in 2006, when it was called the Dirty Kanza. There were only 34 riders and only the 200-mile distance was available. Only 15 finished.
As the race’s popularity increased, the shorter distances were added in 2013, and Unbound XL was added in 2018.
The number of participants across all races has increased to around 5,000, with close to 1,500 for Unbound 200 and an even larger number for Unbound 100.
The name change to Unbound took place in 2020.
Can I watch Unbound Gravel?
Yes. In 2026, the Unbound Gravel 200 elite race will be broadcast in full via the Life Time Grand Prix YouTube channel.
The channel has coverage of other events in its sponsored Life Time Grand Prix gravel series, interviews and more.
Life Time promises coverage of the full event, starting at 5.35am US Central Time on Saturday 30 May 2026, around 20 minutes before the elite race starts.
In addition, all competitors in Unbound XL must carry a satellite tracker. Dot watchers can follow live tracking at https://www.followmychallenge.com/live/unbound-xl-2026.
Unbound 2026 coverage start times around the world
| Region | Time zone | Coverage start time |
|---|---|---|
| Western US | Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC−7) | 3:35 a.m. PDT |
| Mountain US | Mountain Daylight Time (MDT, UTC−6) | 4:35 a.m. MDT |
| Central US | Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−5) | 5:35 a.m. CDT |
| Eastern US | Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC−4) | 6:35 a.m. EDT |
| United Kingdom | British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) | 11:35 a.m. BST |
| Central Europe | Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) | 12:35 p.m. CEST |
| Australia (Sydney) | Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST, UTC+10) | 8:35 p.m. AEST |
| Australia (Adelaide) | Australian Central Standard Time (ACST, UTC+9:30) | 7:35 p.m. ACST |
| Australia (Perth) | Australian Western Standard Time (AWST, UTC+8) | 6:35 p.m. AWST |
There will be extended highlights of the men’s and women’s races posted a few days later.
