The full start lists for Life Time UNBOUND Gravel on Saturday, June 1st have been announced with a host of star riders confirming their attendance for both the men’s and women’s races.
The female champions from the last four editions of UNBOUND Gravel 200: Carolin Schiff (2023, Germany), Sofia Gomez Villafane (2022, Argentina), Lauren De Crescenzo (2021, USA), and Amity Rockwell (2019, USA) are all returning to fight for the crown. With Sarah Sturm (USA) also taking to the start line this year, the full 2023 podium is set for a showdown once more.
Likewise in the men’s race, returning champions Keegan Swenson (2023, USA), Ivar Slik (2022, Netherlands), and Ian Boswell (2021, USA) will prepare to battle the likes of 2024 Cape Epic winner Matt Beers (South Africa) at the sharp end of the race.
Former Olympic gold medalist, two-time Tour de France stage winner and Paris-Roubaix champion Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium) will be making his debut appearance alongside Dutchman Niki Terpstra, a former winner of both Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders, and Tour de France stage winner Jan Bakelants (Belgium).
That trio join a long list of illustrious former road riders who will be taking on ‘the World’s Premier Gravel Event’, including Laurens Ten Dam (Netherlands), who will be looking to make it onto the podium after two consecutive fourth-placed finishesIn the women’s field, Germany’s Schiff is back to defend her title and comes into the race in fine form after her victory earlier this month at The Traka 200.
Indeed, all four winners of Spain’s renowned gravel event will be in action at the Life Time UNBOUND Gravel 200. Karolina Migoń(Poland) also took top honors in the Traka 360 event, while Petr Vakoč (Czech Republic) and Peter Stetina (USA) won the men’s 200 and 360 races respectively. Incidentally, Vakoč finished runner-up at the Life Time UNBOUND Gravel 200 last year, and Stetina was a top-three finisher in 2021.
Reigning Gravel Earth Series champion Annabel Fisher (Great Britain) will join Schiff and Migoń among the pre-race favorites in the women’s event, as will Tiffany Cromwell (Australia), fresh from a solo victory of almost 15 minutes at the UCI Gravel World Series’ Swartberg 100.
The Life Time UNBOUND Gravel 200 is also the second event of the 2024 Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda, ensuring Vakoč and Stetina won’t be the only world-class riders from that series competing.
Men’s Fuego XL 100k winner Swenson is aiming to take maximum points for a third year in succession, as will Villafañe, who also won the women’s Fuego XL 100k at the Life Time Sea Otter Classic presented by Continental last month in Monterey, California.
Kimo Seymour, Life Time President Media & Events, said: “Life Time UNBOUND Gravel continues to attract some of the world’s top cyclists, with 200 mile champions Carolin Schiff and Keegan Swenson returning to defend their titles, and cycling legends such as Greg van Avermaet joining the race for the first time. The world-class fields guarantee an epic day on Saturday, June 1st, and solidifies UNBOUND Gravel’s reputation as a global destination for endurance cycling.”
Click HERE to view the current Life Time Grand Prix leaderboard, HERE to watch extended race highlights from Round 1, HERE to play the Life Time Grand Prix Fantasy League, and HERE to download the Press Kit. Images from the 2024 Life Time Grand Prix are also available HERE.
The new route for the 2024 Life Time UNBOUND Gravel 200 has also been unveiled and sees the riders tackle a taxing loop to the north of Emporia. Life Time has also revealed the routes for the 25, 50, 100 Mile and XL (350-mile) contests which are taking place over this four-day celebration of cycling.
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