NEW 2021 Event Updates

The Dirt

Well, it’s time to get an update to all of our 2021 Garmin UNBOUND Gravel presented by Craft Sportswear athletes. The team here in Emporia has been working diligently with city and county commissioners, our Lyon County Health Department and Emporia Main Street. We have been putting our heads together to implement guidelines for a safe, successful and fun event for June 3 – 6, 2021. Of course, all of our plans will remain subject to change as warranted, but as of today, we are all systems GO in Gravel City, USA! And that feels pretty darn good to say!

What does that mean for you? As we outlined early on, 2021 will look a bit different, which is no surprise! Let’s break it down bit-by-bit:

 

Thursday and Friday Events

All Things Gravel Expo – We’ve got plenty of “elbow room” for our Expo exhibitors and attendees! We’ve worked with the city to obtain additional room in order to better space out our booths and increase traffic flow. This will be a mask-required area and hand sanitation will be readily available throughout. We will have a designated food and beverage area, and will require all food and beverages to be consumed there. We will sanitize this area regularly, and will work to make sure exhibitors have what they need to keep their areas sanitized as well. We ask you to visit in your travel pods/families and social distance.

Group rides – This will be a “no-go” for 2021. In working with our city and county officials, eliminating these will lessen the load on their staff and also reduce an additional mass start that isn’t required for the weekend. Of course, you are welcome to spin as you see fit, just keep in mind buff/masks up in groups!

Rider Checkin/Packet Pick Up – NEW for 2021, we are expanding the hours for packet pick up! This will be our only event happening indoors, so we are limiting it to athletes and essential personnel only. We will have COVID-19 screening protocol at the entrance and masks are mandatory, vaccine or not. Packet pick up will be open Thursday, June 3 from 3:00 to 8:00 PM and Friday, June 4 from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

UNBOUND Gravel 25/50/Juniors Events – NEW for 2021, and the BIGGEST CHANGE to our event weekend. Working in conjunction with our local officials, these start times are moving from Saturday, June 5 to Friday, June 4. This was done to reduce numbers of Saturday start lines. We understand that this may very well change things for some of you, and we completely understand. If you can no longer make it to the event to ride on Friday, we will refund your entry. These group starts will be socially distanced across several blocks with a police escort, and each rider will be required to start with a mask/face covering. We will be sending more details as we approach event weekend to those directly impacted. This is good news for some of you though – now you and your loved one participating in the 100-mile or 200-mile are participating on different days!

Start times for these events will be:
10:00 AM – Juniors
10:30 AM – 50 & 25

Granada Theatre Rider Meeting and Tech Talks – These will NOT be happening in person this year. Instead, we will bring them to you virtually! We’ve all become accustomed to engaging digitally these days, so put your laptops and phones to good use and tune in with us on our platforms race weekend!

UNBOUND Gravel XL – 3:00 PM
This will proceed as planned, with a socially distanced start line across a full city block with a police escort out of town. Each rider will be expected to start with a mask/face covering. Please know we will be sending more details as we approach event weekend

Saturday and Sunday Events

UNBOUND Gravel 200 – 6:00 AM
This will proceed as planned, with a socially distanced start line across multiple city blocks with a police escort out of town. Each rider will be expected to start with a mask/face covering. We will be sending more details as we approach event weekend to those directly impacted.

UNBOUND Gravel 100 – 7:00 AM
This will proceed as planned, with a socially distanced start line across multiple city blocks with a police escort out of town. Each rider will be expected to start with a mask/face covering. We will be sending more details as we approach event weekend to those directly impacted.

Support Crews/Checkpoint Towns –  We are asking that your support crews play by the same rules as the rest of us – masks up when crewing and limit group gatherings. We encourage crews to surround themselves only amongst their pods or families. When you enter a checkpoint town, you must mask up and be cognizant of those around you. Please also make sure you know how to share your location with your crew via your Garmin or other GPS device, or cellphone. THIS IS IMPORTANT, as we will have limited availability in some areas, and it will allow them to know when you will be arriving.

Finish Line – Don’t hug us and we won’t hug you 🙂 AIR FIVES ALL AROUND!

Stay tuned as we will have more updates coming as we get closer to event weekend!

Stay tuned as we will have more updates coming as we get closer to event weekend!

 

Exciting Opportunities and Changes

So yes, the 2021 event is going to look and feel a bit different, but we are also embracing and celebrating some of the changes these opportunities provide. Our team and the Emporia community is working to bring some really cool initiatives to make the event accessible and give you opportunities to enjoy from near or far. we do want to share some overview of these changes!

Televised Event Coverage
All Things Gravel Expo
UBG 25/50/juniors and XL
UBG 200 & 100
Tech Talks
Rider Meeting
Awards

Because we will be televising and streaming our event, there will be watch parties ‘round town and beyond!
Local businesses
Local families
US/International watch parties

Adoring fans – If you are coming to watch riders head off, please remember we want to also see you in a face covering, and want you to use as much distance along Commercial Street to maintain social distancing. Be smart, and let’s keep each other and our community safe.

FINALLY – Reminder of Action Items
If you are signed up for the 25 or 50 mile distances and cannot participate on the revised date of Friday, June 4, you can email unboundgravel@ltevents.zendesk.com to request a refund of your registration fee less processing fees (which were paid at the time of registration). If you find yourself uncomfortable due to COVID-19, you can defer to 2022.

If you think masks are useless and you don’t plan on wearing one, please defer to 2022 or stay home.

Come to Emporia ready to ride, ring cow bells and cheer, but remember we are asking that you DO YOUR PART to keep yourself and those around you safe. Our community is working hard to make sure this event is a go, and that means ALL OF US needs to do our part.