Former US and Pan American cyclo-cross champion Stephen Hyde (Steve Tilford Foundation) rode solo across the line for the men's title in the Unbound Gravel 100 on Saturday and Lauren Stephens (TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) repeated as women's champion.
Hyde was more than three minutes behind John Croom at the 54.5-mile time split, in a three-rider group alongside David Wiens and Nate Maddox. He dominated the second-half the course through the Flint Hills of Kansas to win in his inaugural appearance. Maddox would finish seven minutes later in second, followed by Croom and Wiens, respectively to complete the top four.
"This is an incredible course, there's some rough stuff out there. We weren't sure this team would happen," said Hyde, who's team is based in Kansas. "Ever since I've been coming out to Kansas for the last year, it gets better and better and better, and here we are."
Stephens, who finished second overall in the 100-mile race when it was last held in 2019, crossed the line a little more than 21 minutes behind Hyde, claiming her second consecutive women's win and seventh overall. Finishing nine minutes behind her as the second-placed woman and eighth rider to finish was Emma Langley.
"We hit the doubletrack about 20 or 25 miles in and I went in about fifth or sixth wheel. There was a crash a few wheels behind me, and that made the split. It just shows it's about positioning at critical points," Stephens told Cyclingnews at the finish.
"I got dropped out of the lead group at a creek crossing, at that point I thought my day was pretty much over. I picked up one guy at the checkpoint, and another guy after the checkpoint and we rode the rest of the day together."
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Results
Pos.
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Stephen Hyde (Steve Tilford Foundation)
5:20:13
2
Nate Maddox
0:06:56
3
John Croom
0:08:49
4
David Wiens
0:16:20
5
Shadd Smith
0:21:09
6
Chris Brown
7
Nat Ross
8
David Juarez
9
John McKone
10
Mike Marchand
11
Kevin McGill
12
Drew Medlock
13
Judah Gustafson
14
Will Cox
15
Justin Bowes
16
Cooper Wiens
17
Chris Lyman
18
Chris Ellis
19
David Cox
20
Jim Husk
21
Nicholas Nichols
22
Lucas Forche
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Women
Pos.
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Lauren Stephens (Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank)
2
Emma Langley
3
Jessica Cygan
4
Marisa Boaz
5
Karen Jarchow
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Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. On the bike, she has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast), and spends time on gravel around horse farms in north Georgia.
