As gravel grows in popularity, races like Unbound Gravel face a dilemma: Who gets to participate? Beyond the elite-level discussions of separate starts for pro men and women, a change is coming that will allow riders to race at other events to qualify for Unbound, with no lottery required.
Yesterday, Life Time announced that The Rad Dirt Fest in Trinidad, Colorado, would be the first North American race to serve as a qualifier for Unbound 2025, joining Heathland Gravel in Belgium. This is the first time Unbound has used qualifying events—but it’s not the first race to do so.
In fact, Life Time—owner of races like Unbound, Big Sugar, and Sea Otter Classic—is also the owner of the iconic 100-mile Leadville race. For years, riders (and runners) have had two choices if they want to race: Take their chances in the race lottery or chase qualifiers around the US. At each of the qualifying races, slots are awarded based on performance in your age category and as part of the post-race Event Lottery. Slots are distributed to each gender and age group based on the percentage of total athletes in those age groups, with a minimum of one slot for every age group.
The same system will be in place for Unbound qualifiers. Participants of this year’s Rad Dirt Fest will have the chance to skip the competitive entry lottery and earn a spot in the 2025 Unbound race by participating in the 2024 Rad Dirt Fest. Finishers of the 110- and 70-mile races at Rad Dirt will be eligible to earn one of the 100 qualifier coins up for grabs.
Half of the qualifier coins will be allocated based on the top riders within each category, presumably following the same pattern as Leadville where, if a qualifier coin is turned down by one of the top finishers, the qualifier rolls down to the next person. (For example, if first place in the 30-39 men’s category doesn’t want the coin, it goes to second place and continues to be passed down the list until it’s accepted.)
The remaining half of the qualifier coins will be distributed in a random drawing among all riders who have successfully completed either of the qualifier distances—and who stuck around for the Event Lottery at the podium ceremony. A similar setup will happen at Heathland Gravel, though only 50 qualifying slots are up for grabs.
To be clear, a qualifying coin isn’t free or discounted entry. Those who earn a coin still need to register and pay full price for the event.
So, what do you think? Would you ride one race to get the chance to qualify for another race?
The Rad Dirt Festival will be held on September 28, 2024, and Heathland Gravel will be held on August 11, 2024.
Molly writes about cycling, nutrition and training with an emphasis on bringing more women into sport. She's the author of nine books including the Shred Girls series and is the founder of Strong Girl Publishing. She co-hosts The Consummate Athlete Podcast and spends most of her free time biking and running on trails, occasionally joined by her mini-dachshund.
