Growing up in Canada, kids hear the same motivational quote from almost every coach and gym teacher. Most roll their eyes and snicker behind the teacher's back, but subconsciously it probably worms its way into their psyche.
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretkzy
On a May afternoon deep into Kansas, a group of our favourite Canadians shot their shot. On the starting line of the Men's elite race at Unbound, Andrew L'esperance, Sean Fincham and Alexis Cartier pushed the best of the gravel world to their limit.
In the cool of the early morning, the pace was ferocious over the rocky and rutted terrain of the Flint hills. Averaging nearly 40 km/h into the first aid station at Mile 70 (112 KM) the peloton was on record pace, an early split of 2 went off the front with a chase group of about 10 just behind. In the exposed plains aerodynamics and puncture resistance were keys to success. Andrew (AKA Lespy) and Alexis found themselves in the front chase group with Sean holding strong in the main peloton.
Riding the Extrema and the Ultra respectively our athletes were poised to ride fast with their rigs optimized to be aerodynamic even with the biggest tires (don't forget to check out our recommendations for the best tires with the Extrema and Ultra.
When you go for it all, the line between a lifetime's best performance and it all going wrong is razor-thin. After driving the main breakaway for miles, the drive for glory faded for Alexis. But never one to DNF he made it to the finish line in a time that would have won this race not many years ago.
Up front Lespy was a mainstay of the main chase pack of 5 or 6 riders. With two leaders alone out front the group gambled that the heat and dust of Kansas would bring them back.
But it wasn't to be as the two escapees out front pushed their lead out further after the second aid station and held on to the finish line. With a wild card spot on the line, Lespy battled on finishing agonizingly close to a top 10 spot in 12th. But more importantly, he locked himself into the LifeTime Grand Prix wild card spot and he'll be in the running, along with Sean, for the biggest prize in off-road racing.
Reverb Team
For Mie and Kristian, it was a day that proved how mentally tough these riders are. The flint of Emporia can sneak up any minute and end your chances at a top result. For Mie, it happened four times before the first aid stop in Alma
But with a resilient focus, she quietly kept picking of the riders in her field one by one moving up at every timing checkpoint to finish in the top half of the results.
An early crash in the hardened ruts created by the week's big storms took Kristian out from the main peloton in the first 100km. Resolute, he kept the first aid station calm and ready to attack the field. He downed a coke swapped bottles and hit the dirt with the determination we've come to expect from Kris.
Velocio // Exploro
Like Lespy, Laurel Quiñones of Velocio // Exploro team started the day in the running to lock in a wild card spot for the Lifetime Grand Prix. The women's race was hectic from the get-go, two early crashes split the field. Laurel made the split to reach the first aid with most of the main protagonists. Throughout the rest of the day, she was able to hang with the best and crossed the line in 33rd, securing her spot in the Grand Prix for the rest of the season.
Connor Kamm
If there's one guy whose results didn't reflect his legs on the day it's Connor. Racing for 3T | Q+M two early flats took him out of contention early on. But mile by mile he roped in his competition climbing over 40 spots in the rankings by the time he crossed the line in Emporia.
The aftermath
What's perhaps most impressive is the beating the machines take over 300km in the flint rocks of Kansas. For anyone keen on gravel tech the finish line at Unbound is a gold mine.
Here's a look at the bikes of our riders after the race.
Sean and Lespy
They both raced on Extrema Italia's with a 2x GRX - Dura Ace combo. Riding on 29 x 2.25 mountain bike tires. Lespy had a special arts and craft project on the seattube with what we'd best describe as his auto lubricator device... your mileage may vary with this if you try it at home.
Just as dirty for Sean... chain was a little drier...
Learn more about the Extrema Italia
Alexis Cartier
For Alexis, this machine has to do it all. It's his transport plus his race bike. He took on the fastest gravel race of the Grand Prix on an Ultra with the tried and true Force/Eagle mullet groupset and 27.5x 2.2 mountain bike tires. Big bottles on the big bike with spares at the ready if/when he needed them.
Follow his bikepacking adventures over on Instagram, you'll see him next in the Gravel Earth Series at Festivus Gravel in Alberta and then Canadian gravel nationals before the adventure continues and he rides down to Montana.
Kristian Yustre
Racing on the RaceMax Italia. Kris went for all-out speed with this build. Using the Force XPLR groupset and the super aero Torno his intentions were clear for this event.
Learn more about the RaceMax Italia
Mie Pedersen
It was a custom Reverb Extrema for Mie with the all the fancy bits from Ceramic Speed... because you can't be the Danish national champion and NOT have Ceramic Speed on your bike.
Laurel Quiñones
For Laurel, it was her Malva coloured RaceMax WPNT that took her through the dust and sweat of the Unobund 200. Like Alexis, she chose the stalwart Force/Eagle mullet build to get her over the relentless rollers. Painted in our very own facility the WPNT malva was a stunning choice even through the clouds churned up by the furious peloton.
Learn more about the RaceMax WPNT
