The trail to Kansas for Unbound Gravel goes by means of Texas. That is the “costume rehearsal” a minimum of for most of the elite riders, particularly Laurens ten Dam. The general winner of the inaugural operating of Gravel Locos in 2021, the Dutchman will hit the repeat button for a fifth journey to Hico, Texas on Saturday.
As soon as he will get to Emporia subsequent week, nevertheless, his roadmap appears to be like quite a bit completely different. Ten Dam will compete within the Unbound XL event, 350 miles, for the primary time, lining up with Unbound 200 rival Lachlan Morton.
“I’ve raced Unbound 200 4 occasions, I’ve raced the Tour de France, I race 200k races quite a bit. However now I race the longer races to expertise my limits,” Ten Dam instructed Cyclingnews on his drive from the Dallas airport to Hico earlier this week.
“To be trustworthy, I am 44, get to 45 this yr. I might simply love to do adventurous issues. So it isn’t a selection when it comes to efficiency, as a result of efficiency for Unbound XL would have been higher to do the Traka shorter model as a result of I used to be drained for one week after that [Traka 560]. I’ve achieved the Traka at 200 [kilometres] just a few occasions already. However I made a decision I needed to simply see the Pyrenees by evening. In order that was fairly cool.”
Ten Dam did end the 560-kilometre Traka Journey on the finish of April, participated in Race Round Rwanda however has reeled again his time on the entrance of the peloton in one-day off-road races.
“I am additionally the coach of the women’s Dutch national team. I’ve a little bit bit extra concentrate on the corporate, Dwell Sluggish Journey Quick which is rising, and the children, they’re getting older and so they have extra stuff to do, so there’s much less time to coach. So for me it is about shifting to journey. , I did Tour Divide final yr, I did Race Round Rwanda this yr, additionally Traka 560. So within the time I’ve, I attempt to do adventurous rides now.”
Ten dam has a second place and a pair of fourth place finishes at Unbound Gravel 200. Final yr he and fellow Dutchman Thomas Dekker made an unplanned trip to a Marietta, Kansas jail the evening earlier than the race begin, which depleted their vitality for the 200-mile trip. Each have been arrested for ‘inappropriate behaviour in public areas’ once they stripped themselves of soiled clothes subsequent to their motorcar to clean off and be presentable at an area restaurant.
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Hours later after processing within the jail, the 2 paid bail fees and have been launched. With out the complete dinner and relaxation they’d deliberate, Dekker completed forty second and Ten Dam fiftieth at Unbound 200.
So for the change to the long-distance XL this yr, Ten Dam has not spent a whole lot of time researching the course, admitting “the factor with the 350, I do not know if it is simply one other 150 miles extra of Flint Hills, or if I simply go additional. Really I’ve no clue.”
Whereas Morton edged Ten Dam for a podium spot on the 2023 200-miler, the Dutchman didn’t anticipate a bunch dash for the longer distance. “I wish to comply with him, particularly when it is 350. We’ll see what occurs.”
Texas Hill Nation
Gravel Locos has turn into the go-to heat up for Unbound for a lot of Europeans, as they’ve an opportunity to regulate to the central time zone, the chunky rocks, intense elevation modifications in addition to sizzling and humid climate. Whereas Unbound shouldn’t be anticipated to be scorching sizzling, Texas is, with temperatures reaching 35°C (95° Fahrenheit).
Among the many ‘Dutch Mafia’ riders becoming a member of Ten Dam within the US for the Texas-Kansas doubleheader embrace 2023 Unbound Gravel 200 winner Ivar Slik, Jasper Ockeloen, Niki Terpstra and Ramon Sinkeldam. The Texas race, GL for brief, generally is a good excuse for relaxed time with different cyclists, and race founder Fabian Serralta.
“It is good for the European guys. It is just one week earlier than [Unbound], and the race is a little bit shorter this yr, which implies there may be time to get well. It is a costume rehearsal right here. It is a take a look at for the physique, the thoughts, the fabric,” Ten Dam mentioned.
“I all the time be sure my journeys are good, after which you probably have a flat tyre and one thing dangerous occurs, the yr after you continue to need to return since you went to a Rangers [baseball] sport, for instance. There is a dinner for the Dutch Mafia with him [Thursday], additionally a dinner with all of the racers coming, a Friday morning trip with everybody on a delicate tempo. Now we have enjoyable Saturday evening with burgers with the individuals who arrive just a few hours later [after pros finish]. What Fabian [Serralta] created is nice.
Saturday’s Texas Hill nation 118-mile race, lowered from 157 miles final yr, can even be a cease for Ted King, Emily Newsom, Brennan Wertz, Adam Roberge, Mattia de Marchi and a gaggle of PAS Racing riders together with Morgan Aguirre, Karolina Migoń, Mads Würtz Schmidt and Tobias Kongstad final yr’s third-placed Unbound 200.
“The route this yr is shorter as a result of we’re just one week away from Unbound. Though the GL110 is shorter, the elevation achieve is similar to that of the GL150. All the massive climbs are nonetheless a part of it, all the water crossings are included, 5 support stations, SAG assist and on route bike mechanics,” race founder Serralta instructed Cyclingnews.
“This yr I gave free registration to ladies within the month of February. We gave out roughly 150 free registration to ladies. I additionally gave roughly 50 free registrations to folks experiencing financial hardships and saved their names personal. We additionally gave out 20-25 free registrations to juniors this yr.
“There isn’t any prize purse. The professionals have been very supportive of my resolution to as an alternative give these funds to Hico. My purpose from day one nonetheless stays.”
Serralta mentioned his largest reward for beginning the race 5 years in the past has been the cash raised, roughly $300,000 up to now, for the Hico Volunteer Hearth Division and for the Metropolis of Hico. He does a lot of the work himself with the assistance of two pals, Robert Parker and Eric Mulcahy, to economize on employees. They make the trophies, deal with social media, prepare dinner the meals, his favorite being the recent canines and serving Cuban espresso at relaxation cease quantity 5.
Ten Dam was wanting ahead to relaxed time, and a little bit racing, in Texas.
“So it is lengthy days within the saddle we encounter right here. So for us it is like we’ve got to clean up the reminiscence of the Flint Hills, or the stones in Texas, for an extended, lengthy day. And a few new opponents after all. Not a whole lot of US guys go to Europe to coach or to race, proper?
“I feel they go [to Gravel Locos] to get pleasure from these items. After which from Monday, the main focus will likely be on Unbound.”
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