Lachlan Morton (EF Education-EasyPost) delivered a thrilling victory at Unbound Gravel 200, crossing the Emporia finish line ahead of Chad Haga in the elite men's race.
Tobias Kongstad came third in the 203 mile (327 km) battle through the Flint Hills of Kansas.
“It was very fast. After Little Egypt [mid-point of race] it came down to a small group. It started to get negative, no one wanted to take the [lead]," Morton said. "Then Chad went away, and I said, ‘That’s the guy I want to be with’.
“I managed to get to him. We both took off and didn’t say too many words, we were both on the same wavelength, committed to the finish. Once we got back into town, it was always going to be technical. I think that I was lucky because I’ve done this a couple of times now. I think I made the mistakes in the past years that helped me win today," said Morton, who finished third last year and fourth in 2019.
“We were very evenly matched there, as you saw. I just managed to play a slightly better-timed sprint.”
How it unfolded
Unbound Gravel 200 is the signature event on the expansive global gravel calendar, a slightly modified north course making a return for a third time since the event started in 2006. For the first time in two years, conditions were nearly perfect, with the men starting at 5:50 a.m. CDT under overcast skies, light winds and cool temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit. The rain had not fallen in the area for several days, so there was no fear of turbulence in mud, only 2,000 additional feet of elevation gain from the year before, now amped up to 11,849 feet total.
In the opening 5 miles on pavement, Tobias Mørch Kongstad attacked for a solo lead. On the first section of gravel just outside Emporia, he was joined by Jonas Orset and the duo had a one-minute gap, Innokenty Zavyalov and Chase Wark giving chase.
By mile 32, the lead duo had 30 seconds over Zavyalov and Wark. The second chase group of 50 riders was heavy on top contenders including John Borstelmann, defending champion Keegan Swenson, Jan Bakelants, gravel world champion Matej Mohorič, Niki Terpstra, Greg Van Avermaet, Peter Stetina, Russell Finsterwald, Lachlan Morton, Alex Howes, Petr Vakoc, Laurens ten Dam and Nathan Haas.
After covering 40 miles and the speeds still extremely high across the lumpy path of Kaw Reserve Road, Zavyalov and Wark joined Kongstad and Orset and pushed their lead to 5:49.
The first of two checkpoints, in Alma, marked 70 miles completed, the foursome's lead down to 4:12 and some of the new climbing areas looming ahead. Once on Divide Road, Morton gave it a go in pursuit of the leaders and across the next 10 miles, as the route began to wind its way back to the south, he had taken back one minute. The large chase pack now had 63 riders and was 1:20 behind the Australian, the pace being set by Boswell, Swenson and Beers. Some of the contenders dropping back were Van Avermaet, Howes, Howard Grotts and Brennan Wertz.
Under the skies a vivid blue dotted with small clouds there was no serenity under the wheels as they headed to Little Egypt, one of the roughest roads of the entire journey with technical descents and lots of loose gravel. This year the riders tackled the section from a different direction. In 2019, this is where Colin Strickland attacked and rode away from WorldTour pros for his win. The leaders held a two-minute gap to chasers, with Morton back in the fold, having missed a turn, and Swenson was now leading the chase.
An optional 'water oasis' was next at mile 112 in Alta Vista and as riders rushed past, averaging 21.6 mph, the breakaway had been absorbed back into the main group that now numbered 20, Chad Haga leading the way. Zavyalov was slightly back further, 21 seconds back in a group of 12.
The rainbow jersey of Mohorič was now well off the front, part of a group of riders scattered in a loose group 14 minutes off the best pace with under 100 miles to ride, including Boswell, Terpstra, Thomas Dekker and Michael Garrison.
Across the next dozen miles, a pack of chasers rejoined the front, including Van Avermaet, to make it 31, but no massive move from Mohorič who trailed by 16 minutes.
At mile 125, Haga, Morton and Thijs Zonneveld attacked and created separation. Through the second checkpoint at Council Grove with 54 miles to go, Haga and Morton set off without Zonneveld extended their lead to 2:15 ahead of 21 riders, Sebastian Schönberger at the front with Stetina, Swenson, Finsterwald and Van Avermaet.
Not passing through Council Grove, but pulling out of the race was Mohorič, who had issues with a puncture.
Morton and Haga worked together as they headed to the final dirt climb, passing a private reservoir and dam with 27 miles to go, carrying a 1:55 advantage.
The duo extended their lead to 2:46 on the fast, flat path homeward bound to Commercial Street in Emporia.
Results
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