All Photos: Bruce Buckley

The Unbound 200 hasn’t been kind to the Kona Adventure Team. Cory’s first attempt a few years back had him in the lead group, on track for a podium until a huge tear in a sidewall out in no man’s land relegated him to 28th place. In 2021 and 2022 Cory’s body was recovering from huge efforts too close to the race, and Becca’s 2021 race was undone by a flat and a pesky tubeless valve. Could 2023 be the Adventure Team’s year?

Well, for Cory, his string of bad luck continued. After leading the Unbound XL 350-mile race for almost 150 miles, the thick Kansas mud snapped not one, but two rear derailleur hangers. Cory reluctantly pulled out and walked 11 miles before an Instagram follower came to his rescue. For Kerry and Becca, who were both racing the classic 200 mile event, the race was much kinder. Well, as kind as a 200 mile gravel-mud ride can be. Becca would get redemption and have a smooth race where she prioritized finishing and keeping the bike running smoothly over blowing up. The strategy paid off and she finished in sixth place, following up on a string of great BWR results. 

This was Kerry’s first Unbound 200. Like Becca, he’s chasing the Lifetime Grand Prix overall for 2023 and Unbound is part of the seven-race series. Racing gravel for 200 miles hasn’t really been on Kerry’s radar. Off the start line, the pace was fast, the top 15 riders soon divided into three groups, Kerry settled into the third one, keeping the leaders in striking distance. As the gap to the leaders started to grow, cracks started appearing in Kerry’s ride. He left everything out there on the Flint Hills of Kansas and crossed the line in a very respectable 23rd place in probably the most stacked field the race has ever seen. 

Becca’s epic ride to 6th and Kerry’s mammoth effort moved both riders up the Lifetime Grand Prix overall standings to 9th place in the men’s and women’s fields repsectively. 

Unbound gravel is cursed for me! I was out in front at the Unbound XL 350-mile race at the midway point and all systems were go, but damn did that horrendous Kansas mud ever stop those aspirations in a heartbeat. My lead was short-lived as the mud jammed up my drivetrain so bad it snapped the derailleur hanger, sending it straight into the spokes. I had a backup hanger on the bike just as three riders came past, one of them, a German rider, Sebastian pulled up beside me to use the light to try and fix his broken bike.

Taking time to clean off the drivetrain, I soon had the pieces back together and started rolling again, only to have the new hanger also break. Only packing one spare hanger, I was now screwed. I tried making the Libre single speed, but the chain jumped up in the cogs and snapped after a few minutes, then the walk started.

Sebastian and I walked together through the night for 18km. It was a nice wander with a full moon and coyotes howling in the distance. We actually stayed in fifth and sixth positions for close to two hours doing this as everyone else was also walking through the heinous mud. The only guy riding it was Logan Kasper. He was smarter than us and showed up to start line on a mountain bike. He would go on to win by nearly two hours. 

After 297 km of racing (over 20-22 km total walking), I, unfortunately, had to pull the pin after calculating it wasn’t possible to walk my bike the last 250 km+ to the finish before the cut-off.

The rest of the day was actually pretty rad getting to hang out with friends in the 200-mile feed zones supporting Kerry and Becca, being on the other side of the tape was an interesting experience. Racing in Kansas usually ends poorly but feeling healthy and strong enough to be in contention to win was great. – Cory Wallace

Let’s do that again! (Maybe never?). I went into the Unbound 200 hoping for a top 10, not thinking a win was impossible, but also ready to accept just finishing. Honestly, I bet most pro riders feel the same. Sixth isn’t the shiniest result, but it is the culmination of years of recovery from physical and mental setbacks, a relentless striving for fitness and life balance, and finally hitting my racing stride.

Some Notes from the Underground:

• I lost 10-20 extra minutes cleaning my bike. Cyclocross taught me drivetrain management. I treated my Shimano setup like royalty out there and it rewarded me with a smooth ride. I keep thinking back to the meticulous grass removal, wondering if it was worth it. Seeing the dozens of broken bikes, I have few regrets about this.

• I bonked twice, but I was able to come back. Fueling is hard in this event because of the heat, effort, continuous need to pay attention, and little room for no-handed riding or limited breathing through a stuffed mouth. Plus, my stomach was not the best after mile 100. I think I rode the limit of fueling vs. effort, and while it lost me two groups that could have brought me to 5th place, not knowing how close or far you are from competition or how quickly the time accumulates is a part of gravel racing.

• No flats. Maxxis 40c Silkshield Ramblers with a Cuschore insert in the rear. 30 PSI was too high, but I didn’t dare touch it out there.

• I grabbed a free beer. It nearly cost me a place, but it was yummy.– Becca Farhinger

It was the most messed up thing I’ve ever subjected myself to. It is hard on all levels: physical, mental, and emotional. I rode through highs and incredibly low lows. I contemplated quitting a lot but always knew I would finish no matter what. The result wasn’t quite what I wanted but I was really proud of myself when I crossed the line for pushing through and getting it done. Luckily, I had no mechanicals so equipment was dialled. Just a major bio mechanical for about 25miles in the middle. Lots of self-talk in there. With 23rd place in the race, I was 15th-ish in Lifetime which was good enough to move me up to 9th overall in the series. Stoked about that! Next for me is Leadville. – Kerry Werner