Dirty Kanza

DK is a group of gravel bicycle races covering various distances held annually during the late spring in the Flint Hills region around Emporia, Kansas, United States.[3][4] The race's organizers refer to it as the "World's Premiere Gravel Grinder"[5] Winners are awarded a belt buckle.[6] In 2020, races were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.[7]

Unbound Gravel
(formerly Dirty Kanza)
Race details
DateFirst weekend after Memorial Day
RegionFlint Hills around Emporia, Kansas, United States
DisciplineGravel cycling
CompetitionProfessional and amateur
Race directorLeLan Dains[1]
History
First edition2006[2]
Sunrise in Emporia

Course

Starting and ending in Emporia, the routes runs along rural roads in the Flint Hills of east-central Kansas.[3] In some years the temperature on the route has exceeded 100 °F (38 °C), while other years have seen rain or hail.[8] It is not uncommon for rain to turn some dirt roads into "mud roads".

There are checkpoints spaced about 50 miles apart for longer races, and riders must carry water and food, as well as fix their own tires and bikes.[9][10] If riders receive outside support at any location other than official checkpoints it will result in immediate disqualification. Riders may assist other riders by any means and at any time.[3]

History

In 2006, the first year, the race had dozens of riders.

In 2018, the race had 2,500 registered riders.[11]

In 2019, the race had 2,750 registered riders.[12]

In 2020, races were postponed from May 29–31 to September 10–13,[13] then later was cancelled because of ongoing coronavirus pandemic issues.[7] In 2020, organizers considered a name change for the event to remove reference to Kaw nation (also known as Kanza).[14] On October 29, 2020, it was announced that the new name for the race will be Unbound Gravel.[15]

See also

References
  1. "Contact". Dirty Kanza. 2010-12-11. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  2. Taylor Rojek (8 August 2018). "Gravel Rides are Saving Small-Town America". Bicycling.com. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  3. "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)". Dirty Kanza. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020.
  4. Legan, Nick (20 December 2017). Gravel Cycling: The Complete Guide to Gravel Racing and Adventure Bikepacking. VeloPress. ISBN 978-1-937716-98-1.
  5. "Photo Gallery: Grit and Gravel at the 2018 Dirty Kanza 200". Cyclocross Magazine. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  6. "Extreme Race's Allure Is Simple: 200 Miles of Gravel". The New York Times. Associated Press. 23 May 2015.
  7. "2020 Event Status Update (Cancelled)". Dirty Kanza. Archived from the original on July 9, 2020.
  8. Farrel, Sean Patrick (11 June 2013). "Neither Wind Nor Gravel Will Stop These Grinders". The New York Times.
  9. Taylor, Tom (14 June 2017). "What it's like to race in the Dirty Kanza 200". Sports Illustrated.
  10. Ian Dille (7 July 2015). The Cyclist's Bucket List: A Celebration of 75 Quintessential Cycling Experiences. Rodale. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-62336-446-5.
  11. "Dirty Kanza 200 Quick Facts". Dirty Kanza. 2018-01-23. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  12. The 2019 Dirty Kanza Could Be the Toughest in History; May 29, 2019.
  13. "2020 Event Status Update (Postponement)". Dirty Kanza. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020.
  14. "Dirty Kanza organizers are considering options for a possible name change". CyclingTips. 2020-06-23. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  15. "The Dirty Kanza is now Unbound Gravel". VeloNews.com. 2020-10-29. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.