Lachlan Morton, the people’s favorite, wins Unbound Gravel

Lachlan Morton’s resilience shone brightly at Unbound Gravel today. Neither grueling solo efforts nor a wrong turns, nor moments of self-doubt could break the Australian's day at Unbound today. 

The fan-favorite from EF Education-EasyPost entered the finishing in downtown Emporia together with Chad Haga (PAS Racing) for a two-up sprint and came out ahead.

"I've made the mistakes in the last years that helped me win today," said Lachlan, a now-four-time Unbound finisher, in the post-race interview.

"To be honest, I thought a win here was beyond me now. I thought the level is getting higher, I'm getting older and I thought that last year was my best chance to win it and I didn't."

Once across the finish line and off their bikes, Morton took Haga into his arms and held him for a long hug, visibly overjoyed and relieved. 

Haga’s teammate, Tobias Mørch Kongstad, finished in third place. 

How the racing unfolded

As gravel cycling continues to professionalize, the legend of Unbound grows even larger. The 18-year-old race saw a record 5,000 amateur and pro participants this year, including its biggest international participation yet. Some 28 countries were represented and these riders didn't make the long trek for nothing. They were determined to make their mark.

The men's elite field for the 200-mile race across the notorious Flint Hills was its most competitive yet. Olympic and Roubaix champion Greg van Avermaet and Tour de France stage winner Matej Mohorič lined up alongside America's best, adding to a field already brimming with talent. The race yielded its second non-American winner ever in Lachlan Morton, following Dutchman Ivar Slik's win in 2022. 

Despite foreboding course descriptions warning of 'a relentless onslaught of rough, rocky paths’ and Unbound's infamous peanut butter mud, race day on June 1st began under the best conditions seen in years. Two-hundred-miles and 11,850 feet of elevation awaited the riders and they would make quick work of it, relatively speaking. 

Innokenty Zavyalov and Chase Wark each set off in pursuit, with Adam Roberge following closely behind. Meanwhile, a large group of race favorites chose to bide their time, allowing the early attackers to put their noses in the wind, knowing that the day ahead was long and challenging.

Around the 40-mile mark, Zavyalov and Wark made contact with Kongstad and Orset on the choppy roads of the E Kaw reserve and managed to extend their lead to nearly 6 minutes. 

By the time riders arrived at the first checkpoint at mile 70, the sharp flint had already claimed more than a few victims, Van Avermaet and Mohorič, included.

Through the checkpoint and onto a new hillier section of the North Course, the four leaders still maintained a 4:12 lead and Morton decided to make a move. He dangled out front in no man’s land for a dozen miles yet only managed to make up a minute to the leaders. A minute-twenty behind him, a large chase group of more than 60 riders was being led by defending champion Keegan Swenson, Matt Beers and Ian Boswell. 

The course’s most talked about section, Little Egypt, was approaching, where riders were about to face the roughest roads on course. In his pursuit of the leaders, Morton accidentally took a wrong turn and now had to burn some matches in order to catch back up with the chase group. 

With Swenson in the front, the chase group was making headway on the leaders. But with an average pace of 35kmh (21.6mph), riders were coming off the back in droves, including podium contenders Boswell, Mohorič, Van Avermaet and Niki Terpstra.

By the time the peloton blew through the optional water stop at mile mark 112, the leaders had been absorbed by the main group had now dwindled down to just 20 riders.

At mile 125, the main pack had regrown to 31 riders and Haga went on the attack. Morton and Dutchman Thijs Zonneveld (BEAT) were quick to hop on his wheel, and the trio gained an advantage. 

“It started to get negative, no one wanted to take the [lead]," Morton explained about the race winning move. "Then [Haga] went away, and I said, ‘That’s the guy I want to be with’.

At the second Checkpoint, Morton and Haga continued on by themselves as Zonneveld was switching tires. 

“We both took off and didn’t say too many words, we were both on the same wavelength, committed to the finish,” said Morton.

With 50 miles left in the race, the duo held a 2:15-lead on a chase group of 21, led by former winners Pete Stetina and Keegan. But the American firepower wasn’t enough to bring back the duo, who held off the chase while trying to attack one-another as the miles were running out. 

Ultimately, the two entered the final straightaway on Commercial Street together, ready for a sprint.

“We were very evenly matched there, as you saw. I just managed to play a slightly better-timed sprint,” said Morton. 

Unbound 200 - Top 10 Men

1. Lachlan Morton (AUS), 9:11:47
2. Chad Haga (US), 9:11:48
3. Tobias Kongstad (DEN), 9:15:23
4. Piotr Havik (NL), 9:15:24
5. Mattia De Marchi (ITA), 9:15:28
6. Simen Nordahl Svendsen (NOR), 9:16:28
7. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), 9:16:34
8. Payson McElveen (US), 9:16:35
9. Sebastian Schönberger (GER), 9:16:35
10. Dylan Johnson (US), 9:16:36