The 2026 Unbound 200 was one for the books. Mud, mechanicals, trains — it had everything. Lauren De Crescenzo recaps her daring ride chasing down the podium.
About the Race
The 2026 Unbound Gravel 200 was the 20th edition of the race, and it delivered everything the Flint Hills are known for — overnight rain, debilitating mud, and mechanicals that reshuffled the field before mile 15. Sofia Gomez Villafañe claimed her second Unbound win, finishing the 206.9-mile course in 10:31:37 after a five-way sprint. Schreurs finished second, one second back, with Decker third, Onweller fourth, and Klöser fifth.
Mud created the first major selection around mile 11, where riders sought out any safe line, had to dismount, or spent time clearing it out. Lauren De Crescenzo was among those caught out, forced to claw back from mechanicals that effectively ended her shot at the front group. She never made it all the way back — but what followed was one of the more impressive rides of the day. Working through the field for hours, she salvaged sixth place and did it the hard way. This was Lauren's seventh Unbound Gravel, completing it for the fifth time and officially joining the 1,000 Mile Club.
Now, we'll shift to LDC's first-person recap of the chaos that was Mudbound — excuse us, Unbound.
The Mechanicals
Lauren: The mud clogs everything. Your whole drivetrain, everything. My chain fell off a few times, coming off my pulley wheels, and then it all got tied up into this impossible knot. It was so bad. Many of us had issues at mile 15. I was right up there in the front, and then just chaos. I came out of the mud section in 24th place.
But once I got rolling, I was like, no way I will get 24th place in this race. After a disastrous 2023 Mudbound, I'm happy I could keep my head in it and stay calm. And once I was rolling again, I was locked in.
The Train
I was within four minutes of the leaders. Raging. And then I just saw it — the train. Morgan said it was seven minutes. Everyone caught back up, and the race basically restarted. I won the race from the train tracks. Perhaps my consolation prize.
There was no way around it,
Next year, I'm checking the train schedules.
Overall Day
I averaged 40 watts higher than last year — 220 versus 180 — and got the same spot. That's just what the mud does and a testament to the strength of the women’s field. I'm happy with what I salvaged after those mechanicals in the first mud section. I refused to go down without a fight. I was able to detach myself from the effort and live in the dark place in my head for a few hours.
High of the Day
Someone yelled that I was in 5th, and I was like, 'How did that happen?' Out in Kansas, you can see forever — it's not out of sight, out of mind. I could see the next person, and the next, and I just kept passing people. That was always the high. I just focused on catching that next person, and then the next,
And then finishing. Getting the Coke at the end. Ice bags on my feet. That was the high point of the day.
Low of the Day
The first mud section. I thought the race had gotten away from me, and I knew how much effort it would take to get back in. But getting through that section was the most mentally challenging part of the race. And in 2023, my derailleur snapped, so at least this time I was able to recover and keep my cool.
But the train — that was the other low. I was catching everyone, every single person, and then I just stopped. Everyone except the top five got stuck. It was rather demoralizing. I was so close.
Conditions & Eye Infections
I'm considering tearaway film on my glasses now because I literally couldn't see anything. What's worse — getting all that stuff in your eyes, or not seeing through your glasses? They were covered. It was bad for a lot of people out there. There was a line of pros at the medical tent getting our eyes washed out.
Nutrition
Pre-Race
I had rice with maple syrup and chocolate chips the morning of. I also did bicarb. Then I took nitric oxide pro about 30 minutes before the start — I take that every day — and did regular nitric oxide at the start line. The night before, I had Nomio for recovery and a Dream Shot.
Hydration & Bottle Setup
I started with a 1L, a 750mL, and a 1.5 L pack. I mixed the High-Carb Mix (30 carbs and 150 mg of sodium per scoop) with The Feed Lab electrolytes (150 milligrams per scoop), so three scoops of high carb with 3 scoops of electrolytes put me near 1,000 mg per bottle, and 1,500 in my 1.5 L pack. I also put Kenetik performance shots into the one-liter bottle to water them down. It's a fun little mixture,
Gels & Fueling Strategy
I had nine gels in my jersey for the first 80 miles — none with caffeine. All neutral. SiS Beta Fuel mainly, with two Amacx to change up the taste. At a race like Unbound, palate fatigue is real. I just want calories. The closer to nothing it tastes, the better. I just know I have to eat.
while racing. In a race like Unbound or Traka, flavor just becomes too much. You're out there so long. I just need calories. I don't want any interesting flavors or anything in my stomach — I just need carbs!!!
I skipped the first feed zone at mile 40 because I started with everything I needed. At the second feed zone around mile 80, my high-carb/ electrolyte/ ketone bottles were ready, and all my gels were taped to them — I just ripped them off while riding. I stopped for two seconds to ditch the pack, grabbed the bottles, and kept moving. Perfect. At Aid 3 around mile 150, I got more gels, a Coke, and my first SiS Beta Fuel + Nootropics Gel for a little caffeine boost for the end. And then my 12-year-old brother handed me a bottle of Coke. My biggest fan. I love that kid.
Caffeine Strategy
For caffeine — 100 milligrams mid-race (half a Noortopics gel). Then I saved half a SiS Beta Fuel + Nootropics Gel for mile 180, when I really wanted to die and had 26 miles left. Whatever it takes — that was the thinking.
You have to be careful, though. Too much caffeine too early, and your legs might not be so happy. Caffeine dehydrates me at high doses. So I split it — 100 milligrams mid-race, saved the other half for when I truly needed it. That's the move.
Eating Strategy
I wasn't glued to my computer at all. No timers. Anytime I felt like I was fading, I'd eat. That ended up being every 20 to 30 minutes naturally, without even thinking about it. Sometimes you just need to listen to your body. Anytime I even thought about food, I downed another gel. I've been doing this for quite some time, so at this point I can listen to my body enough — I know what I need.
I was shooting for around 100 grams of carbs per hour. Keeping it simple, doing the math, subdividing by aid stations, knowing what I'd carry. I think I've got this down to a science at this point. I really do.
I never listen to music in races. It's entertaining enough out there. I'm usually ok with my own thoughts. :)
