The World's Largest Gravel Cycling Race

Life Time Unbound Gravel

Name: Life Time Unbound Gravel
Start: 2025-05-29T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-01T23:59:59-05:00
Location: 700 & 800 blocks of Commercial St

Thousands of cyclists test their grit in a 200 mile ride through the rocky Flint Hills. As a spectator, cheering on the cyclists as they persevere and return to a massive finish line party is an uplifting experience unlike any other.

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Sunday, June 1, 2025. The main race and downtown block party take place on SATURDAY.

700 & 800 blocks of Commercial St, Downtown Emporia [View Map]

UNBOUND Gravel, known as the “World’s Premier Gravel Event” is the top gravel endurance cycling race in the world and is owned and produced by Life Time Fitness. The race is held annually, the first weekend after Memorial Day. The signature event is 200 miles of hilly and rocky roads through the Flint Hills, and if you think Kansas is flat and barren you are sorely mistaken. This route is beautiful, remote, and incredibly difficult. The event is a unique experience for both riders and spectators.

UNBOUND Gravel is all about self-sufficiency and pushing through brutal terrain and weather. Riders can go for miles without seeing another person, a car, or a source of water or food.

The fastest riders finish in 10-11 hours, while some participants take up to 21 hours. Many who start the race reach their breaking point and drop before reaching the 200-mile goal. However, those who conquer this event are rewarded with the glory of an EPIC finish line party in Downtown Emporia.

If 200 miles doesn't seem like enough of a challenge, riders can try their hand at the UNBOUND Gravel XL. The XL is a limited field, 350-mile race that was added to the line-up in 2018. XL riders take off from Emporia on Friday. A competitive High School ad JR High race was also added to the original line-up of shorter ride options such as the 100-mile race, the 50-mile Fun Ride, and the 25-mile Community Fun Ride.

Unbound includes a full weekend of activities, with the main event and block party taking place on Saturday. Over 4,000 riders participate in the event each year, and many thousands more spectators descend on Emporia to witness this incredible feat of human endurance.

SATURDAY EVENTS - SPECTATORS WELCOME!

The 200, 100, 50, and 25 mile events all take off from downtown Emporia on Saturday, starting at 6 a.m. Thousands of fans and spectators wake up before sunrise to watch the riders take off from the Granada Theatre at 6 am. Emporia Main Street hosts special events downtown throughout the day on Saturday, with the finish line party, beer garden, and music kicking off at 10 a.m. and going late into the night.

Whether to ride, or watch, make plans to join us this year in Emporia!