The Unbound Gravel in Kansas is one of the oldest, toughest and therefore most famous gravel races in the world. Especially for this edition, Sporza is in the wake of Wielerclub Wattage member Jan Bakelants. Follow it on this page.
- Zonneveld gives up after a fall. 4 pm 07.
Zonneveld gives up after a fall
- The names of the frontrunners (click on the tweet). 15 hours 36.
The names of the frontrunners (click on the tweet)
- 3:27 p.m. Zonneveld. Bakelants leads a chasing group in which the Dutch journalist Thijs Zonneveld is also on board. A top 10 spot seems quite far away for both gentlemen for the time being. But a lot can still happen on the smooth surface. .
Zonneveld
Bakelants leads a chasing group in which the Dutch journalist Thijs Zonneveld is also on board.
A top 10 spot seems quite far away for both gentlemen for the time being. But a lot can still happen on the smooth surface.
- 15:16. Bakelants in 24th position. In extremely muddy conditions Jan Bakelants struggles after 1/5th race in 24th position. His gap to a leading group of 11 riders is nine minutes. Many former riders are in that leadership group with Paul Voss, Peter Stetina, Laurens Ten Dam, Petr Vakoc, Ian Boswell and off-road specialist Lachlan Morton. .
Bakelants in 24th position
In extremely muddy conditions Jan Bakelants struggles after 1/5th race in 24th position.
His gap to a leading group of 11 riders is nine minutes. Many former riders are in that leadership group with Paul Voss, Peter Stetina, Laurens Ten Dam, Petr Vakoc, Ian Boswell and off-road specialist Lachlan Morton.
- 3 pm 12. Problem Hawk. Bad luck for a Dutch outsider. Piotr Hawk saw his derailleur break off in the greasy mud. It immediately means the end of his Unbound adventure. Havik made a name for himself at the clay court World Cup last year. He then finished as the first non-pro rider in 12th place. .
Task Hawk
Bad luck for a Dutch outsider. Piotr Hawk saw his derailleur break off in the greasy mud. It immediately means the end of his Unbound adventure.
Havik made a name for himself at the clay court World Cup last year. He then finished as the first non-pro rider in 12th place.
- 13:51. The Unbound Gravel mobilizes a crowd.
The Unbound Gravel mobilizes a crowd
- 13h51. The elite group is ready for the start.
The elite group is ready for the start
- 1:40 PM. I’m a little nervous anyway. I’m pretty unprepared here, so it’s going to be a journey of discovery. Hopefully I have good legs, then I can go far. My plan? Don’t think too much, be flexible. Jan Bakelants just before the start.
I’m a little nervous anyway. I’m pretty unprepared here, so it’s going to be a journey of discovery. Hopefully I have good legs, then I can go far. My plan? Don’t think too much, be flexible.
Jan Bakelants just before the start
- 13:40. Bakelants: “Still a bit nervous”.
Bakelants: “A bit nervous”
- Thijs Zonneveld also becomes a competitor for Jan Bakelants. 12 o’clock 23.
Thijs Zonneveld also becomes a competitor for Jan Bakelants
- 11:34 am. Alarm clock at 4:15 am. It will be a long day for Jan Bakelants, because at 4.15 am he is already awakened by Ruben Van Gucht, fortunately with a cup of coffee. “Slept badly!”, he says immediately. Nerves for the big day, no doubt. .
Alarm clock at 4:15 am
It will be a long day for Jan Bakelants, because at 4.15 am he is already awakened by Ruben Van Gucht, fortunately with a cup of coffee. “Slept badly!”, he says immediately. Nerves for the big day, no doubt.
- 07h17. Spaghetti and shave. The evening before the race – he starts this morning at 5.55 am local time (11.55 am with us) – Bakelants shaves off his beard and also eats a plate of spaghetti. It is a matter of smooth and with sufficient energy to start his heavy assignment. .
Spaghetti and shave
The evening before the race – he starts this morning at 5.55 am local time (11.55 am with us) – Bakelants shaves off his beard and also eats a plate of spaghetti. It is a matter of smooth and with sufficient energy to start his heavy assignment.
- 03-06-2023.
- 23 hours 23. 108, semper con noi, Wouter Weylandt. The number 108 is not just a number. It is the jersey number that Wouter Weylandt rode with when he made a fatal fall in the 2011 Giro. So Weylandt rides with Bakelants: “Sempre con noi” (Always with us”) is the slogan of then and now. .
108, always with us, Wouter Weylandt
The number 108 is not just a number. It is the jersey number that Wouter Weylandt rode with when he made a fatal fall in the 2011 Giro.
So Weylandt rides with Bakelants: “Sempre con noi” (Always with us”) is the slogan of then and now.
- 23:16. Final preparations. One day before his 200-mile run, Jan Bakelants went to collect his bib number from the organisation. There he not only got his back number (108), but he also met an unexpected fan of Wielerclub Wattage. Dutchman Jos has decided to follow Bakelants’ wheel on Saturday. After that, Bakelants could quickly go and visit Olivia’s nursery again (you can see how that works on Sporza’s Instagram Stories), because tomorrow morning he is expected to start shortly before 6 o’clock. .
The final preparations
One day before his 200-mile run, Jan Bakelants went to collect his bib number from the organisation. There he not only got his back number (108), but he also met an unexpected fan of Wielerclub Wattage. Dutchman Jos has decided to follow Bakelants’ wheel on Saturday.
After that, Bakelants could quickly go and visit Olivia’s nursery again (you can see how that works on Sporza’s Instagram Stories), because tomorrow morning he is expected to start shortly before 6 o’clock.
- 11:15 pm. As Dirk De Wolf says: once you have pinned a back number, you have no friends left. Jan Bakelants.
As Dirk De Wolf says: once you have pinned on a back number, you have no friends left.
Jan Bakelants
2023-06-03 13:25:00
#Unbound #Gravel #LIVE #Jan #Bakelants #fights #top #place #smooth #slog #Zonneveld #fall #gravel #biking
