@@rab0309 I watched him finished, and I am not going to lie, I was emotional, p.s. Rosa Kloser winning the women's was amazing as well, this race is just the best !
@LifeTimeGrandPrix I hope you're on, not redirecting 3 to 4 miles of un rideable mud. Yeah, it's supposed to be hard, but it's also supposed to be a bike race... Own up to the fact you screwed up.
I always sprint my finishing no matter if I’m in a lead pack or…. Finishing in 18 hours. Even if they just separated the finish of 200 and 100 it’d fix that problem
Yep. If they were truly proud they woulda shown the hundreds amateurs pushing their bikes. They clearly know it is BS and are sticking to their BS guns.
Good to read the comments. Just thinking… The Spirit Of Gravel! “It’s not a road race”. Hahaha. I imagine soon there will be a new series born that celebrates the true spirit of gravel. Yes, I ride, including a gravel bike.
I'm sorry but no amount of post-race marketing spin or machismo will excuse the inclusion of the mud section at mile 11 (+/-). They should have instituted the re-route. Ben Sachs you were just wrong. Not funny, not fun, not a "challenge", just wrong.
I disagree - greatest day ever on the bike for me, and my third finish in Emporia. I respect your opinion, but it doesn't match the ethos of this event.
Shocking how the organisers can cause so much damage to normal people’s bikes and laugh about it. Hope people actually vote with their wallets and stop funding these idiots
Really most the people participating are just recreational riders hoping to finish the "race". They are paid or sponsored and the only reason the asshole promotors make money is because of the recreational riders NOT the small minority of "pro" racers. The money that goes into the pockets of the event organizers come from average NON PRO RACERS...so yeah it is disrespectful.
Hahahaha. You destroyed your own bikes by trying to power through the mud. Use your head and pickup your bike. Society has turned into a bunch of whiners who can't take any responsibility for their terrible decisions. Pathetic.
There are two courses known for being tough on bikes in the LTGP. Big Sugar for our tire slashing gravel, and unbound for the same, but also their mud. The idea that that reroute wasn’t taken is crazy to me. It’s already a 200 mile race, taking riders on average 13-16 hours. The idea that the mud section was needed to make the race as challenging as it’s supposed to be? Totally untrue. Get real.
All of you 2023 nay sayers seems to believe that Ben Sachs had a crystal ball and knew exactly when that section would become so challenging. I rode that section two days before the race (and following some rain) and it was perfectly rideable - sure locals know that section can get muddy, but that's the magic of the Flint Hills, when a storm comes it doesn't rain in even amounts over an entire watershed. My take away from the riders meeting on Friday was that they would keep an eye on it, but unless it became dangerous they were going to keep it. They were keeping an eye on multiple sections and didn't have people posted at each of them 24-7 ... I have been riding in the Flint Hills since the '90's, but in Emporia specifically only since 2016 - the primary lesson I have is everything is unpredictable, nothing is guaranteed, and mud is ALWAYS a possibility, so be ready for it. If you don't like the idea of 2 to 10 miles of hike a bike, don't sign up; problem solved. Lifetime never forced you to sign up, no one tricked you into believing it would be easy, like has been suggested by many as some sort of "pyramid scheme". "Find your limits" was not caveated with "only under the circumstances of your choosing" ... and by the way, Ben is a native Kansan and has even podiumed on SS before becoming race director - he's not being insincere when he talks about gravel racing, he has been living, breathing and planning it for quite some time.
I just watched the first three episodes on the trainer. Wow. These are so, so good. Thanks for spreading the stoke. Im not on Instagram, so I love having some videos to see all the action.
I’ve been riding these roads on my bike since my first gravel race in 1994 on my schwinn predator bmx bike, and I still love this race as much as the day it was started. Thank you lifetime for giving me a way to continue in this love affair with Kansas Gravel and mud.
@@LifeTimeGrandPrix That song is burned into my brain. I spent about 3 hours looking online, I have tried every song-recognizing app. Every song AI is useless. But who was responsible for that 10-second montage deserves a raise + bonus. Well done mate. BUT WE NEED THE NAME like Lachlan needs a WIN!
The promoters and Life Time deserve every negative comment and every person that never registers for their events again. They do not care about the riders in any shape or fashion. You apply for a lottery and if selected pay $300 for the privilege of riding 200 miles with no maps, no turn markers, no feed zones, nothing. All of that would be fine and was the spirit of gravel in the beginning WHEN IT COSTED NOTHING........ Not when it costs $300 with a bunch of RUclipsrs flying around in cars trying to capture footage so they can have their mutual appreciation society of interviewing each other on all their podcasts that talk about exactly the same thing.
Yes Racing is supposed to be difficult and this isn’t a road race. But people came to finish and didn’t get the opportunity to. Sad to see the race organizer was so selfish
This year's Unbound was the best event I've ever been a part of, hands down (I just posted a recap video on my channel as well). We let the pros be pros, while the rest of us were on our own journeys. Battling the heat, the terrain , the rollers and ourselves. There was room for all of that at this event. The volunteers, the town of Emporia and the organizers were all top notch! Vibes were extremely high! Thank you again. I'll never forget that weekend. 🙌 Cheers from Delaware!
The organizers are so out of touch. They stand by their decision to keep a section that knocked 900 people out of the race when even the pros said they're nuts. I went from Canada to have my derailleur break after 30 mins along with hundreds of others. Not about making it easier, about making it rideable. $2,000 for 30 minutes...
Yeah I completely agree with you. My dad raced it this year and luckily he brought his mtb with drop bars to the race. He had just enough tire clearance to get through the mud. But so many riders where just knocked out of the race.
Yeah I completely agree with you. My dad raced it this year and luckily he brought his mtb with drop bars to the race. He had just enough tire clearance to get through the mud. But so many riders were just knocked out of the race.
Yeah I completely agree with you. My dad raced it this year and luckily he brought his mtb with drop bars to the race. He had just enough tire clearance to get through the mud. But so many riders were just knocked out of the race.
You'll see it Monday evening, June 3rd - the team is working furiously to get it ready! You'll get a sneak preview ASAP. Be sure to subscribe to know as soon as it drops.
The organizer saying “I can’t believe people who didn’t make it through the mud are complaining. That takes away from what the 70% who made it through accomplished.” So 30% of riders not finishing because of course conditions that they could have prevented is acceptable?
Raced an Itonman in Tahoe in 2013, 26% dnf rate due to cold, hills, altitude.. you pay attention, prepare the best you can and get after it or don't sign up.. adjust your plan..
I’m a bit confused. I can’t find season 2 episode 1 and 2. Any help? Also just struck gold in finding this channel. Thanks for making these videos. Totally appreciate the craftsmanship
just putting this out there...what about doing some jerseys for best young rider, most inpsirational/combative, overall points leader in series, last year's series winner, best technical rider etc. Just some ideas. but let's get creative with the gravel jersey types in this series. I'd love to see some glory go to the guys that throw down. Hate to see that only a podium is your reward when trying to race swenson. gotta throw these guys a bone for their efforts and let them know the fans appreciate their fireworks. blah blah blah about "the podium is all that matters" comments from couch racers that will follow. we all watch and follow and race gravel and we respect individual efforts even if they don't win but they mix it up.
@@LifeTimeGrandPrix yep...I agree, but he is retired and just out to have fun. Reminds me of 40 something Valverde coming in 3rd at the gravel worlds. Gravel is where old pros go to retire.
I love this series of events, I'm a big fan. However, is it just me or is it a bit sketchy having the elite guys sprinting though the exhausted amateurs for the win?
It’s not like it was the first year thr event was run…surprised no one had the foresight to think about this. Also not surprising seeing the general attitude of those behind the event - really captures the irony of “spirt of gravel” in capitalist America.
The organizers screwed up. They don't want to admit it and want to hide behind the difficulty the race is supposed to bring. In the long run, no one wants to travel and train only to break their bike. It's a foolish investment of time and money.
If you think that organizers care a about you, the amateur rider, think again, they couldn't care less. All they want is your money and all those pros riding there 😉
You are right! We all should care about your feelings and what you think, we should make you a special cake just so you know we all care about you. Just remember that you are my special boy :) Keep making daddy proud
@@seagulls4life12 about me?? LOOOOOOOOOOOL dude zip it 😉 talk about the hundreds that gave up and thought to themselves FUK THIS SHIT 😉 and for those same hundreds that said Naaaah I won't be coming back to this CRAP OF EVENT 😉 and by the way and don't waste my hard earn money with this new kind of events, that only have one thing in mind "make a few rich people". Go ride bikes, ups I forgot you can't, too dumb to do so 🤡🤡🤡
First of all,I finish the 200 under 16 hours, But I'm still Mad to the Organizer,Coz I didn't beat the Sunset due to Stupid 8 miles of Hike a bike(5,2,1)..Yes its supposed to be a hard race but hard Rideable not Walkable and trashing a derailleur, I cannot imagine foreigners spend 5K just to ride 20 miles. I'm Not supporting this BS business anymore. But I'm sill visiting Emporia and ride all day gravel for free, The community are Amazing..
Yeah, sorry Life Time. You don't get to have your cake and eat it too. You don't get to have "kumbaya gravel is inclusive and for everyone" and at the same "this is a hardcore event meant only for the elites". Those elites have the time and backing to prepare themselves and their equipment. Normal 9-5 people don't have that bandwidth. People paid their own money to have a reasonable chance of finishing with components intact. Your obligation is to those participants who actually paid, not the elite pros that can just get another derailleur shipped to them free of charge. Would it have been an inconvenience to offer an alternate route to the amateurs that bypasses the muck? Of course; but that is an inconvenience you accept when you cash the fat registration checks. Stop trying to spin this with the self-serving "it's meant to be hard" nonsense; accept that you were negligent and put in a plan to do better.
I totally disagree. 9-5'er here, also a cancer survivor. 2023 was my 3rd finish out of 5 starts. I don't expect them to change anything to make things easier. If you do your homework, you lean that the adobe/peanut butter much mixes with grass builds up fast and you have to be prepared to remove it on a continuous basis. Where were all these cry babies after the 2020 MidSouth 100?
I think the race organizers totally disrespect the majority of racers/riders that participate in the event. Let's face it most the folks participating in the event are recreational riders wanting to test themselves. They aren't sponsored racers. They buy there own equipment and pay for their own travel. Folks destroyed expensive equipment trying to slug through 3 miles of mud. It is ridiculous! They are the reason the event promotors make money...NOT THE SMALL MINORITY OF PRO RACERS!!! I almost signed up for the event and was so HAPPY that I didn't.
This episode is complete propaganda. I was there in 2023. Yes, I finished the 200 but destroyed my bike. They dropped the ball and haven’t owned up to it. Incredible to hear the guy at the beginning say “this is not a road race.” Yeah well, it wasn’t a bike race either. My heart goes out to everyone that trained hard for this thing and didn’t finish. I for one will never do Unbound again.
That attitude is exactly why I love this event. We got everything the Flint Hills have to offer in 2023 - I don't want anything changed. My Salsa Cutthroat just needed a little sonic cleaning and a new chain, good as new. I also kept my park tool working the whole time to keep the mud from building up too much. Did I have a fast time, nope, but I had the best day ever on the bike. If Unbound isn't for you, pick a new event, don't ask them to change.
I'm surprised noones fashioned a mud shedding plastic that attaches to the fork and frame to clear that, and a plastic housing that covers the drivetrain
@@LifeTimeGrandPrix spirit of gravel... think like a kids bike, has that plastic housing that saves their pants from the chain. Why not flip that over... and all you need is a 1 inch piece of plastic between the tire and frame. Angle it, it will scrape and shed at the same time
Is Unbound just the Burning Man of cycling? A once counter culture event that got too big, too commercialized, and too greedy and fell apart in 2023 due to rain and mud?
Yea, and many gravel events are the locally spun version of BM spin offs. “The spirt of gravel” really does feel like a marketing phrase these days, just token words with no real meaning.
Thanks Xavier, we're always looking to improve the experience for everyone, at the front going for the win or finishing your very first 25, 50 or 100mi adventure! This year will be great ↗️
Call of a Life Time was following the riders competing in the season-long Grand Prix. This year's slate of shows will capture all the race action...and in fact, Vakoc is now a LTGP rider too!
Wow, the VP at Lifetime and the race director acknowledging how bad the mud will be is not a good look. So many athletes had their day ruined in the first 10 miles. Yikes. I feel bad for anyone who lost a derailleur in the first 5% of the race.
Been there. Done that. I never thought that the conditions may be "too tough". It's Kansas, they have rain, mud, wind, scorching sun. It is above all gravel racing and not a pleasant sunday ride 🙂
Did you ride it last year? Serious question. What you're looking at in the video is the elite men hitting the mud. What you dont see is the thousands of 200, 100, 50-mile age groupers hitting that section.
I don’t really care if they change it or not but seeing the overhead ending the amateur riders didn’t change the outcome of that race at all… there was such a giant thing made out of it at the time and the ground level views definitely look bad but once you see the Birds Eye view it’s not that bad at all.
while I'm glad people find happiness pursuing fitness challenges as I do myself in some ways, I'm saddened there's not something deeper, more lasting such as God in their life
@4:18. I have no sympathy for an amateur gravel rider that buys an expensive bike and trashes it at an event. Quit LARPing as a pro, just ride a simpler machine. And yeah, I've said the amateurs who sign up for this obviously have more money than common sense. Giving your money away to get your ass handed to you by pros makes no sense to me. Should be a $20 entry fee for amateurs.
without amateurs these events would die. without amateurs buying expensive bikes the whole bike market dies. the race organizers should respect the people participating in their events.
Just a thought or two from a passionate amateur cyclist for the last 19 years: Since when do race organizers change a course or cancel an event unless otherwise life threatening. I firmly agree with Swenson, seems to me like ~900 people didn’t do their homework, or they grossly underestimated Unbound. I say keep it hard. If people want an easier race, race elsewhere. I say this not so much to defend the race organizers, nor am I without empathy for those who didn’t finish, I’m just saying bike racing is hard because it’s not always easy.
I did my homework. And I finished the 200. However, what you heard was a comment from the pro at the very front of the race. Imagine what the mud sections were like after 1000 people rode through. A bike race is a race where you challenge yourself on the bike. Not walking it for 3-4 hours or having your frame destroyed. Again, I did my homework and this was not what I expected. What you may not know is that the organizers had an option to route around those sections (which had not been used since 2015) and actually decided to use them to “see what happens.” Willful disregard for most people looking to challenge themselves on an epic ride. Instead what are being told is the BS propaganda in this episode.
Just b/c it may not be a common practice doesn’t mean it’s not possible or the right thing to do. Plenty of courses have been rerouted due to natural disasters altering courses…it doesn’t take an act of god to redirect traffic…
I'm in there too for 3 seconds at the Eureka CP standing on the side in the yellow jacket in front of the Trek tent where I did SAG from some teammates!
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
That Lachlan happy for Keegan winning even though he lead the sprint out , class act.
Lachy is such a gem of a human.
Just came to say the same thing. Definition of class.
and now Lachlan wins this year.... beast
@@rab0309 I watched him finished, and I am not going to lie, I was emotional, p.s. Rosa Kloser winning the women's was amazing as well, this race is just the best !
That final shotgun blast edit, when Keegan starts the sprint was outstanding! These Grand Prix videos are epic. Keep em coming!
To make that kind of power after 10 hours in the saddle = bananas.
Totally agree! But I can’t find the music, could you help?
@@jeppehedegaard7018 QÜICKSAND (instrumental version) by 8Ö8, Shöckface, ero808
How freakin' cool is Lachlan Morton? Amazing cyclist!
The best!
The pros need their own lane. Pros are flying into the finish and you have 20-30 amateurs going 10. Someone is going to get ran over.
We're already on it 🫡
It should of happened three years ago.@@LifeTimeGrandPrix
@LifeTimeGrandPrix I hope you're on, not redirecting 3 to 4 miles of un rideable mud. Yeah, it's supposed to be hard, but it's also supposed to be a bike race... Own up to the fact you screwed up.
Agreed. That finish is so freaking dangerous I cannot believe it was still in place after the sprint finish from the year before!
I always sprint my finishing no matter if I’m in a lead pack or…. Finishing in 18 hours.
Even if they just separated the finish of 200 and 100 it’d fix that problem
Great job, Lachlan. Congratulations capo...
Epic. Love these. Gotta fix that finish chute situation though. Eeesh. So sketchy.
We're already on it 🫡
"God saved my soul, and that bicycle saved my life". Most accurate quote for me today.
So glad to see that featured here. Who knows how many little stories will never be told
I can totally relate. Biking saved my life also.
Lifetime working real hard to spin the mud section.
Yep. If they were truly proud they woulda shown the hundreds amateurs pushing their bikes. They clearly know it is BS and are sticking to their BS guns.
Good to read the comments. Just thinking… The Spirit Of Gravel! “It’s not a road race”. Hahaha. I imagine soon there will be a new series born that celebrates the true spirit of gravel. Yes, I ride, including a gravel bike.
Let us know when it comes out please.
@mileburton8426 what is "the true spirit of gravel"? Honest question, no sarcasm
I'm sorry but no amount of post-race marketing spin or machismo will excuse the inclusion of the mud section at mile 11 (+/-). They should have instituted the re-route. Ben Sachs you were just wrong. Not funny, not fun, not a "challenge", just wrong.
I disagree - greatest day ever on the bike for me, and my third finish in Emporia. I respect your opinion, but it doesn't match the ethos of this event.
Shocking how the organisers can cause so much damage to normal people’s bikes and laugh about it.
Hope people actually vote with their wallets and stop funding these idiots
Yea it has nothing to do with it being "too hard".
exactly, you can make it hard, but that doesn't need gear shredding conditions
It is a race. get over it.
Really most the people participating are just recreational riders hoping to finish the "race". They are paid or sponsored and the only reason the asshole promotors make money is because of the recreational riders NOT the small minority of "pro" racers. The money that goes into the pockets of the event organizers come from average NON PRO RACERS...so yeah it is disrespectful.
Hahahaha. You destroyed your own bikes by trying to power through the mud. Use your head and pickup your bike. Society has turned into a bunch of whiners who can't take any responsibility for their terrible decisions. Pathetic.
There are two courses known for being tough on bikes in the LTGP. Big Sugar for our tire slashing gravel, and unbound for the same, but also their mud. The idea that that reroute wasn’t taken is crazy to me. It’s already a 200 mile race, taking riders on average 13-16 hours. The idea that the mud section was needed to make the race as challenging as it’s supposed to be? Totally untrue. Get real.
All of you 2023 nay sayers seems to believe that Ben Sachs had a crystal ball and knew exactly when that section would become so challenging. I rode that section two days before the race (and following some rain) and it was perfectly rideable - sure locals know that section can get muddy, but that's the magic of the Flint Hills, when a storm comes it doesn't rain in even amounts over an entire watershed. My take away from the riders meeting on Friday was that they would keep an eye on it, but unless it became dangerous they were going to keep it. They were keeping an eye on multiple sections and didn't have people posted at each of them 24-7 ... I have been riding in the Flint Hills since the '90's, but in Emporia specifically only since 2016 - the primary lesson I have is everything is unpredictable, nothing is guaranteed, and mud is ALWAYS a possibility, so be ready for it. If you don't like the idea of 2 to 10 miles of hike a bike, don't sign up; problem solved. Lifetime never forced you to sign up, no one tricked you into believing it would be easy, like has been suggested by many as some sort of "pyramid scheme". "Find your limits" was not caveated with "only under the circumstances of your choosing" ... and by the way, Ben is a native Kansan and has even podiumed on SS before becoming race director - he's not being insincere when he talks about gravel racing, he has been living, breathing and planning it for quite some time.
What’s the song that drops when Keegan takes off to sprint at 26:12? Searched the whole music list in the credits and couldn’t find it.
I just watched the first three episodes on the trainer. Wow. These are so, so good. Thanks for spreading the stoke. Im not on Instagram, so I love having some videos to see all the action.
Glad you like them!
I’ve been riding these roads on my bike since my first gravel race in 1994 on my schwinn predator bmx bike, and I still love this race as much as the day it was started. Thank you lifetime for giving me a way to continue in this love affair with Kansas Gravel and mud.
LOVE THIS!
What is the song name at 26:12 when Keegan drops the others in the sprint finish.
asking now - check back in and let's see if we can get an answer for you!
@@LifeTimeGrandPrix That song is burned into my brain. I spent about 3 hours looking online, I have tried every song-recognizing app. Every song AI is useless. But who was responsible for that 10-second montage deserves a raise + bonus. Well done mate. BUT WE NEED THE NAME like Lachlan needs a WIN!
@@LifeTimeGrandPrix Anything?
QÜICKSAND (instrumental version) by 8Ö8, Shöckface, ero808
Full on goosebumps on the sprint section :D Wooow!
The promoters and Life Time deserve every negative comment and every person that never registers for their events again. They do not care about the riders in any shape or fashion. You apply for a lottery and if selected pay $300 for the privilege of riding 200 miles with no maps, no turn markers, no feed zones, nothing. All of that would be fine and was the spirit of gravel in the beginning WHEN IT COSTED NOTHING........ Not when it costs $300 with a bunch of RUclipsrs flying around in cars trying to capture footage so they can have their mutual appreciation society of interviewing each other on all their podcasts that talk about exactly the same thing.
$340 this year…
@@brianrunnells9203 Damn...that is a lot of money and you don't even get any sort of supportl
Yes Racing is supposed to be difficult and this isn’t a road race. But people came to finish and didn’t get the opportunity to. Sad to see the race organizer was so selfish
These racers are top notch
We think so too! Thanks for watching!
Lachlan the best!!!!
Chapeau 💪🏻
your video team is awesome!
Glad you think so! The production team worked very hard to bring this series to life!
This year's Unbound was the best event I've ever been a part of, hands down (I just posted a recap video on my channel as well). We let the pros be pros, while the rest of us were on our own journeys. Battling the heat, the terrain , the rollers and ourselves. There was room for all of that at this event. The volunteers, the town of Emporia and the organizers were all top notch! Vibes were extremely high! Thank you again. I'll never forget that weekend. 🙌 Cheers from Delaware!
These guys are so cool. They are my idols.
Keep an eye out for more great footage this season!
please add "burning matches" and related phrases to the list of cliches to avoid
No joke, this is only the 3rd episode and the 2nd event, and I'm tired of hearing that phrase. Lol
The organizers are so out of touch. They stand by their decision to keep a section that knocked 900 people out of the race when even the pros said they're nuts. I went from Canada to have my derailleur break after 30 mins along with hundreds of others. Not about making it easier, about making it rideable. $2,000 for 30 minutes...
Double like. I can't believe they ruined so many people's races with that section.
I firmly agree, not an ounce of compassion. They got paid so they don’t care.
Yeah I completely agree with you. My dad raced it this year and luckily he brought his mtb with drop bars to the race. He had just enough tire clearance to get through the mud. But so many riders where just knocked out of the race.
Yeah I completely agree with you. My dad raced it this year and luckily he brought his mtb with drop bars to the race. He had just enough tire clearance to get through the mud. But so many riders were just knocked out of the race.
Yeah I completely agree with you. My dad raced it this year and luckily he brought his mtb with drop bars to the race. He had just enough tire clearance to get through the mud. But so many riders were just knocked out of the race.
When will the 2024 production air on RUclips?
You'll see it Monday evening, June 3rd - the team is working furiously to get it ready! You'll get a sneak preview ASAP. Be sure to subscribe to know as soon as it drops.
@@LifeTimeGrandPrix Awesome work, gang! Thanks for all you do
Gravel race, If you crack you crack, If not, your in the race.. I thought I was watching John Wick 4 for a second the way this video was put together.
👏 What a ride! This video captures the essence of cycling perfectly. Proud to add it to our collection and share the love. Keep it up! 🚴♀
Thanks for tuning in.
The organizer saying “I can’t believe people who didn’t make it through the mud are complaining. That takes away from what the 70% who made it through accomplished.” So 30% of riders not finishing because of course conditions that they could have prevented is acceptable?
Raced an Itonman in Tahoe in 2013, 26% dnf rate due to cold, hills, altitude.. you pay attention, prepare the best you can and get after it or don't sign up.. adjust your plan..
I’m a bit confused. I can’t find season 2 episode 1 and 2. Any help? Also just struck gold in finding this channel. Thanks for making these videos. Totally appreciate the craftsmanship
Thanks for the feedback - check again and you should find them now!
@@LifeTimeGrandPrix yay!
I’ve been gravel riding since the 80s and it still hasn’t grown to the MTB cross country events.. think it’s always going to be small
OG gravel rider in the house! The MTB heydays were pretty special, hope you can come out to Unbound someday and check it out!
just putting this out there...what about doing some jerseys for best young rider, most inpsirational/combative, overall points leader in series, last year's series winner, best technical rider etc. Just some ideas. but let's get creative with the gravel jersey types in this series. I'd love to see some glory go to the guys that throw down. Hate to see that only a podium is your reward when trying to race swenson. gotta throw these guys a bone for their efforts and let them know the fans appreciate their fireworks. blah blah blah about "the podium is all that matters" comments from couch racers that will follow. we all watch and follow and race gravel and we respect individual efforts even if they don't win but they mix it up.
Paris-Roubaix winner at this years start line. Should be interesting.
Is there a start list posted somewhere?
I’m guessing you are referring to the female winner right?
Mens race. Greg Van Avermaet. Mens PR is around 260kms. The longest version of the Women's PR has only been 145.5 km @@6betoman6
Olympic Gold medalist too, GVA is a legend!
@@LifeTimeGrandPrix yep...I agree, but he is retired and just out to have fun. Reminds me of 40 something Valverde coming in 3rd at the gravel worlds. Gravel is where old pros go to retire.
I love this series of events, I'm a big fan. However, is it just me or is it a bit sketchy having the elite guys sprinting though the exhausted amateurs for the win?
Keep an eye out for updates in '24! We're always pushing to improve the experience for all participants, no matter where they line up or finish.
Very unsafe finish for pro riders to come up behind lower level riders at full speed.
We're already on it 🫡
It’s not like it was the first year thr event was run…surprised no one had the foresight to think about this. Also not surprising seeing the general attitude of those behind the event - really captures the irony of “spirt of gravel” in capitalist America.
The organizers screwed up. They don't want to admit it and want to hide behind the difficulty the race is supposed to bring. In the long run, no one wants to travel and train only to break their bike. It's a foolish investment of time and money.
Can anyone identify the earpiece Keegan is using @27:50? I have lost 2 pairs of airbuds now...
Looks like they could be Shokz Open Run Pros. Eh, Keegan?
Yep@@LifeTimeGrandPrix, looks like them. Thanks!!
If you think that organizers care a about you, the amateur rider, think again, they couldn't care less. All they want is your money and all those pros riding there 😉
You are right! We all should care about your feelings and what you think, we should make you a special cake just so you know we all care about you. Just remember that you are my special boy :) Keep making daddy proud
@@seagulls4life12 about me?? LOOOOOOOOOOOL dude zip it 😉 talk about the hundreds that gave up and thought to themselves FUK THIS SHIT 😉 and for those same hundreds that said Naaaah I won't be coming back to this CRAP OF EVENT 😉 and by the way and don't waste my hard earn money with this new kind of events, that only have one thing in mind "make a few rich people".
Go ride bikes, ups I forgot you can't, too dumb to do so 🤡🤡🤡
First of all,I finish the 200 under 16 hours, But I'm still Mad to the Organizer,Coz I didn't beat the Sunset due to Stupid 8 miles of Hike a bike(5,2,1)..Yes its supposed to be a hard race but hard Rideable not Walkable and trashing a derailleur, I cannot imagine foreigners spend 5K just to ride 20 miles. I'm Not supporting this BS business anymore. But I'm sill visiting Emporia and ride all day gravel for free, The community are Amazing..
Gravel sometimes feels like a pyramid scheme…
If you get 10 people to say the sport of gravel and they each get 10 people to say it then surly we’ll have a truly spirited gravel?
Yeah, sorry Life Time. You don't get to have your cake and eat it too. You don't get to have "kumbaya gravel is inclusive and for everyone" and at the same "this is a hardcore event meant only for the elites". Those elites have the time and backing to prepare themselves and their equipment. Normal 9-5 people don't have that bandwidth. People paid their own money to have a reasonable chance of finishing with components intact. Your obligation is to those participants who actually paid, not the elite pros that can just get another derailleur shipped to them free of charge.
Would it have been an inconvenience to offer an alternate route to the amateurs that bypasses the muck? Of course; but that is an inconvenience you accept when you cash the fat registration checks. Stop trying to spin this with the self-serving "it's meant to be hard" nonsense; accept that you were negligent and put in a plan to do better.
I totally disagree. 9-5'er here, also a cancer survivor. 2023 was my 3rd finish out of 5 starts. I don't expect them to change anything to make things easier. If you do your homework, you lean that the adobe/peanut butter much mixes with grass builds up fast and you have to be prepared to remove it on a continuous basis. Where were all these cry babies after the 2020 MidSouth 100?
PLEASE HAVE SEPARATE LANES FOR ELITES
Kenya was well represented 20:25 I can see team Amani on someone wheels
And know that Jordan Schleck is one of the 30 men in Life Time Grand Prix this year!
The socks are goofy😁
❤Trekky❤
that last mile with a bunch of lapped riders is ridiculous. Save one lane for the first man to have a fair racing.
As always, we're making adjustments to create the best experience for anyone participating at a Life Time event. Look for big updates this year!
Boycott would probably change somebodys mind. Money talks.😉
I think the race organizers totally disrespect the majority of racers/riders that participate in the event. Let's face it most the folks participating in the event are recreational riders wanting to test themselves. They aren't sponsored racers. They buy there own equipment and pay for their own travel. Folks destroyed expensive equipment trying to slug through 3 miles of mud. It is ridiculous! They are the reason the event promotors make money...NOT THE SMALL MINORITY OF PRO RACERS!!! I almost signed up for the event and was so HAPPY that I didn't.
This episode is complete propaganda. I was there in 2023. Yes, I finished the 200 but destroyed my bike. They dropped the ball and haven’t owned up to it. Incredible to hear the guy at the beginning say “this is not a road race.” Yeah well, it wasn’t a bike race either. My heart goes out to everyone that trained hard for this thing and didn’t finish.
I for one will never do Unbound again.
Damn right. It is this arrogant attitude that pushed many people to gravel in the first place from crits and road racing.
That attitude is exactly why I love this event. We got everything the Flint Hills have to offer in 2023 - I don't want anything changed. My Salsa Cutthroat just needed a little sonic cleaning and a new chain, good as new. I also kept my park tool working the whole time to keep the mud from building up too much. Did I have a fast time, nope, but I had the best day ever on the bike. If Unbound isn't for you, pick a new event, don't ask them to change.
Then don't sign up...quit crying.
I feel sorry for all the amateurs who had their bikes destroyed. Kind of undermined the idea of inclusivity baked into this video.
That finish is a disaster waiting to happen. Imagine when a race win is decided by a crash with an amateur in the final sprint.
We heard the feedback and expect changes in Emporia this year!
I'm surprised noones fashioned a mud shedding plastic that attaches to the fork and frame to clear that, and a plastic housing that covers the drivetrain
You might be onto something...
@@LifeTimeGrandPrix spirit of gravel... think like a kids bike, has that plastic housing that saves their pants from the chain. Why not flip that over... and all you need is a 1 inch piece of plastic between the tire and frame. Angle it, it will scrape and shed at the same time
Is Unbound just the Burning Man of cycling? A once counter culture event that got too big, too commercialized, and too greedy and fell apart in 2023 due to rain and mud?
Yea, and many gravel events are the locally spun version of BM spin offs. “The spirt of gravel” really does feel like a marketing phrase these days, just token words with no real meaning.
Lots of low key local gravel events to support instead
The finish line should be rethinked I think. Front guys need to discuss in peace the race, they almost run over some guys
Thanks Xavier, we're always looking to improve the experience for everyone, at the front going for the win or finishing your very first 25, 50 or 100mi adventure!
This year will be great ↗️
Vakoc comes second and gets no time in the video 🤷♂
Call of a Life Time was following the riders competing in the season-long Grand Prix. This year's slate of shows will capture all the race action...and in fact, Vakoc is now a LTGP rider too!
"if you didn't, then you didn't do your homework" he makes a good point
#TeamLachy
We're all on #TeamLachy
Wow, the VP at Lifetime and the race director acknowledging how bad the mud will be is not a good look. So many athletes had their day ruined in the first 10 miles. Yikes. I feel bad for anyone who lost a derailleur in the first 5% of the race.
Keep the race hard
Been there. Done that. I never thought that the conditions may be "too tough". It's Kansas, they have rain, mud, wind, scorching sun. It is above all gravel racing and not a pleasant sunday ride 🙂
Did you ride it last year? Serious question. What you're looking at in the video is the elite men hitting the mud. What you dont see is the thousands of 200, 100, 50-mile age groupers hitting that section.
All talk, no action.
🦍
These guys don't understand chess.
I don’t really care if they change it or not but seeing the overhead ending the amateur riders didn’t change the outcome of that race at all… there was such a giant thing made out of it at the time and the ground level views definitely look bad but once you see the Birds Eye view it’s not that bad at all.
while I'm glad people find happiness pursuing fitness challenges as I do myself in some ways, I'm saddened there's not something deeper, more lasting such as God in their life
@4:18. I have no sympathy for an amateur gravel rider that buys an expensive bike and trashes it at an event. Quit LARPing as a pro, just ride a simpler machine. And yeah, I've said the amateurs who sign up for this obviously have more money than common sense. Giving your money away to get your ass handed to you by pros makes no sense to me. Should be a $20 entry fee for amateurs.
without amateurs these events would die. without amateurs buying expensive bikes the whole bike market dies. the race organizers should respect the people participating in their events.
The amateurs aren’t racing the pros silly.
It's like driving a 1999 saturn when you can afford a new bmw... every hobby is expensive, if you can afford it, go for it
Pyramid scheme
Nailed it! 👏
Just a thought or two from a passionate amateur cyclist for the last 19 years: Since when do race organizers change a course or cancel an event unless otherwise life threatening. I firmly agree with Swenson, seems to me like ~900 people didn’t do their homework, or they grossly underestimated Unbound. I say keep it hard. If people want an easier race, race elsewhere. I say this not so much to defend the race organizers, nor am I without empathy for those who didn’t finish, I’m just saying bike racing is hard because it’s not always easy.
I did my homework. And I finished the 200. However, what you heard was a comment from the pro at the very front of the race. Imagine what the mud sections were like after 1000 people rode through. A bike race is a race where you challenge yourself on the bike. Not walking it for 3-4 hours or having your frame destroyed. Again, I did my homework and this was not what I expected. What you may not know is that the organizers had an option to route around those sections (which had not been used since 2015) and actually decided to use them to “see what happens.” Willful disregard for most people looking to challenge themselves on an epic ride. Instead what are being told is the BS propaganda in this episode.
Just b/c it may not be a common practice doesn’t mean it’s not possible or the right thing to do. Plenty of courses have been rerouted due to natural disasters altering courses…it doesn’t take an act of god to redirect traffic…
Guess that Keegan fella is pretty strong on the bike
@attackeracker sighting!
Saw that! He's MTB background helped him a lot in those conditions on his way to 31st!
I'm in there too for 3 seconds at the Eureka CP standing on the side in the yellow jacket in front of the Trek tent where I did SAG from some teammates!