Preparation guide · Unbound Gravel
Unbound Gravel 2027: how to prepare it and what to eat and drink
The next edition is on Saturday 29 May 2027 (provisional date: the organisers haven't confirmed it yet; in 2026 it was held in late May. Start time is indicative), starting in Emporia (Kansas, USA) at 6:00. Here you have the route of Unbound 200 miles, its climbs, the usual weather and how much to eat and drink for your target time.
Unbound 200 miles: route
Official route on RideWithGPS (the 200-mile one, not other distances).
Official profile and track on the organisers' website.
The gravel sectors, one by one
| Sector | Length | Surface and how to tackle it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Emporia → Checkpoint 1 km 0 | 67.6 km | Dawn start and the first gravel roads through the Flint Hills, in big groups. Don't get dragged along by the groups ahead: it's the easiest stretch to overdo. Eat from the first hour. |
| 2. Checkpoint 1 → Oasis 1 km 67.6 | 35.4 km | Rolling roads with loose, tyre-slicing flint. Pick your line in the clean tracks and leave a gap: this is where punctures start. Water only at the oasis (km 103). |
| 3. Oasis 1 → Checkpoint 2 km 103 | 57.9 km | The longest stretch of the first half, with short climbs and low-water crossings. You need food and drink for 3–4 hours: two big bottles plus a pack or frame bag. At the crossings, dismount if in doubt. |
| 4. Checkpoint 2 → Checkpoint 3 km 160.9 | 96.6 km | The 97 km stretch without a checkpoint, in the hottest hours and with the Kansas wind. The key to Unbound: leave checkpoint 2 with all the fluid you can carry (3 litres or more), salts and food for 5–6 hours. Refill wherever the organisers allow. |
| 5. Checkpoint 3 → Oasis 2 km 257.5 | 46.7 km | Sunset in the Flint Hills, with your legs already heavy. Fit your lights at checkpoint 3 even if it's still sunny. Eat something savoury: by now sweet stuff wears thin. |
| 6. Oasis 2 → finish in Emporia km 304.2 | 28.8 km | The last 30 km towards Emporia, many of them in the dark. Easy pace, a powerful front light and watch the loose stone in poor visibility. |
Route keys
- 333 km on gravel roads through the Flint Hills, with about 2,540 m of climbing: many hours on the bike, more endurance than power. Train very long rides with the food and equipment you'll use.
- There are only five points: three checkpoints (km 68, 161 and 258) with full support, and two oases (km 103 and 304) with water only. Gaps between them reach 97 km: be self-sufficient with big bottles and plenty of food.
- With 16 to 22 hours on the bike, food is half the race: carbs from the first hour (every 20–30 minutes), salt, and something savoury as well as sweet. Test everything on long rides first.
- In Kansas the wind and heat rule: with no shade, midway, the heat bites. Sun protection and salts from the start.
3 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Unbound 200 miles: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 h | 75 g/h | 1095 g | 650 ml/h | 10.4 l | 450 mg/h |
| 18 h | 75 g/h | 1245 g | 650 ml/h | 11.7 l | 450 mg/h |
| 20 h | 75 g/h | 1390 g | 650 ml/h | 13.0 l | 450 mg/h |
| 22 h | 75 g/h | 1390 g | 650 ml/h | 13.0 l | 450 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
Checkpoint 1 km 67.6; water oasis 1 km 103; checkpoint 2 km 160.9; checkpoint 3 km 257.5; water oasis 2 km 304.2. Checkpoints have full support; the oases have water only.
Without the official track loaded we don't work out the section-by-section plan. In WinWatts, with your GPX, you see how much to eat and drink between each feed station at your pace on every climb.
Unbound 200 miles: weather in late May
What the weather was like in late May in recent editions:
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 17 ºC | 28 ºC | 0.0 mm | 29 km/h |
| 2023 | 13 ºC | 26 ºC | 0.0 mm | 18 km/h |
| 2024 | 16 ºC | 26 ºC | 0.0 mm | 15 km/h |
| 2025 | 14 ºC | 28 ºC | 0.0 mm | 18 km/h |
| 2026 | 19 ºC | 27 ºC | 1.8 mm | 25 km/h |
Your Unbound Gravel, tailored to you
This guide uses a typical rider. In WinWatts we calculate it with your data:
- Your time, average power and finish time from your FTP and weight.
- The race-day forecast for each section, and what to wear.
- Your food and drink plan kilometre by kilometre, with your gels, bars and bottles.
- Your training plan until Saturday 29 May 2027, adjusted every week to how you're doing.
WinWatts is not affiliated with the organisers of the Unbound Gravel. Dates, routes, schedules and registration: official website. Distance, climbing and stops from the official route on RideWithGPS and the 2026 rules; weather from past editions (Open-Meteo). For guidance only: it doesn't replace advice from a health professional.