Proof, prototypes and dreams of mud – The makings of an Unbound Gravel title defence for Cameron Jones

When Cameron Jones lined up in Emporia for Unbound 200 in 2025, he had the element of surprise on his side. After all the rider from New Zealand was looked upon as a relative newcomer fighting for a wildcard entry to the Life Time Grand Prix series, rather than as a rider fighting for a win in the world's most prestigious gravel race.

That worked in his favour – he took off just 50 miles into the race with Simon Pellaud and then dropped his break companion to claim a solo victory that transformed his career. This time, however, Jones knows that "there's no way anyone's going to let me roll off the front like I did last year."

Does that mean the defending champion is waving the white flag? Of course not – there are more weapons in his arsenal than just the element of surprise.

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"I'm obviously going in it to win, I just know that the way in which I'll do it won't be the same as last year," Jones told Cyclingnews in a phone interview the week before the race, just before heading off from Blacksburg, Virginia to Emporia.

Much has changed since he made that same fateful trip to Kansas twelve months ago. Back then, he was just a rider who had got his foot in the door of US gravel racing in 2024 during a semester of a University exchange program at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

Don't be deceived, however, that it was just some happy accident. After getting a taste of the discipline back home in New Zealand, it was the call of gravel that drew him to the United States, with his study of Forestry Engineering the way to get him there. Studying was the vehicle, gravel was the destination.

"I put everything into this, to see what I could do," said Jones, initially focused on mountain biking, but who had been wondering what the next step in his cycling career would be. That was when he both became drawn in by the videos of the Life Time Grand Prix and also felt encouraged by the successful moves toward the discipline made by other riders in the region, including Australia's Brendan Johnston - now a key rival.

"It went well enough in 2024 that I got a little bit of support from Scott Bikes USA, which allowed me, leading into 2025, to train full time, and then that's what brought my riding up yet another level," said Jones.

The gravel and mountain bike combination of the LIfe Time Grand Prix series seemed like an ideal fit for Jones, who was hoping to keep riding through forests, rather than immediately utilise his just-finished degree to work in the business of sustainably managing them. He applied for a 2025 spot, with results including 17th at his first Unbound, fourth at the Canadian Gravel National Championships and fourth overall at Oregon Trail Gravel. But he didn't make the cut.

"I felt a bit ripped off, not getting in, like I knew I was good enough but I can't have anything against the selectors – there's so much talent out there, and maybe I hadn't shown what they were looking for. But I certainly went into it with a point to prove," said Jones, who was still chasing a wild card entry into the series when he lined up at Unbound in 2025.

Is there any better way to prove a point than winning the biggest race on the calendar? Well, it turns out there is, and that is also taking the wild card entry the victory earned him for other races and then leveraging that into an overall series victory as well.

"I never really thought about winning the whole thing, I was just doing as well as I could each race to hopefully get into the top 10 and the prize money at the end," he said

Still something to prove

This Unbound, then, is his first as a fully fledged Life Time Grand Prix series athlete and instead of flying under the radar, as defending champion the full glare of the spotlight will be on him.

"So now maybe I've got a little bit more pressure but I've also got a lot more support," said Jones.

On top of that while last year Jones was fighting for a career, being an Unbound 200 winner is about as close as you can get to guaranteeing one.

"Regardless of the result of these races, I'll still be able to ride my bike full time and make a story out of it," he said.

But, of course, there are plenty other motivations for the rider who is this year also lining up in the jersey of an Oceania gravel champion to lay it all on the line so he can celebrate in Emporia once again.

"There's lots to gain by getting another one and I guess there were a few sorts of rumours around last year, that we only won because we drafted the motorbike the whole way," said Jones, making it clear that this was far from the reality of their experience of being "off the front through the wind the whole time".

"It'd be nice to do it, and yeah, put some of those rumours to rest," he said. "Also to prove it wasn't just my position as an unknown rider, but even with all the eyes on me I can still make it happen."

As far as the 'why' and 'how' of chasing another Unbound 200 victory, the why is clearly covered but what about the how now that a surprise attack is clearly no longer an option?

Prototypes, preparing for a sprint and hoping for mud

Many things may have changed for Jones as he heads into Unbound but some things have also stayed the same.

Last year Jones took on what he called the Blacksburg Bootcamp on social media, with a training block of 90 hours in 20 days, and VO2 effort numbers that were his best ever, at the time, at least.

"This year the training has been almost identical to last year, it was clearly a good recipe so just follow that," said Jones.

That said, there have been some tweaks, given a long-range attack probably isn't going to work this time. There has been a little more intensity "given that my effort on race day is probably going to be a bit more spiky rather than the solid effort I did off the front," said Jones.

The formula of three, 30-hour weeks has also factored in an altered finishing scenario.

"I've been working on the sprint a bit more, or that's what I'll tell everyone so they don't want to take me to the line," he joked.

The VO2 effort numbers have also hit new levels again this year, and with the indicators on the up so is the confidence. Plus there is also a new piece of machinery to deliver an extra boost.

Scott released a new prototype 32" gravel race bike this week, with Jones quipping in the release that with the innovative bigger-wheeled bike he'll be "experiencing a road race while everybody else is racing gravel".

"It's a pretty revolutionary bit of equipment which should give me the best chance," Jones told Cyclingnews. "I think it's going to be a genuine advantage over everyone else."

One area where just about everyone, including Jones, is at a disadvantage, though, is facing up to the cohesive Specialized Off-road team of Keegan Swenson, Matt Beers and Mads Würtz Schmidt. Each is a significant threat alone, let alone as a combined force.

One factor, however, that could help take the edge off that advantage is the conditions.

"I'm secretly hoping" – or perhaps not so secretly any more – "that it's like a super filthy, muddy year, because that just breaks everything up, makes it just man on man," said Jones.

"It's a lot less tactics, it just becomes a slog in which the best legs on the day win."

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