The focal point of the new 207-mile Unbound Gravel 200 route may not be the rocks, washouts and prospects for mud that are famous across the Flint Hills of Kansas. This year, a third Checkpoint was added to the course, and new Elite Feed Zones will also be employed as safety measures at three locations.
This reconfiguration of where elites and amateurs converged in past years to restock on hydration, nutrition, and get mechanical assistance from support crews is more than just fencing and signage. In the past, all riders shared the same real estate, with chaos as a common end product, as pros wanted to roll through and take handups while amateurs actually stopped for a break.
For 2026, organisers at Life Time will provide a clear separation between the elite fields and age-group riders at three designated areas for the first time in the race’s 20-year history.
Kristy Mohn, the community partnerships manager for Unbound and Retail Manager for Life Time Off-road events, called the change a "pivot" with the course layout providing a safer environment for the pro riders, many of whom are competing for series points or wild card spots in the Life Time Grand Prix.
"The pros now have Feed Zones, not Checkpoints. This is a very different look for the pros. I don't want people who are helping to get confused between a Feed Zone and a Checkpoint - they're different, and they're in different spots," Mohn, a native of Emporia who has been involved with Unbound for all 20 years, told Cyclingnews.
It's simple - Feed Zones are for elite riders only; Checkpoints are for the age-group riders. Athletes and their support crews have to know where their three designated areas are located. For years, there were only two Checkpoints, shared by all athletes. Now there is an additional service point for riders on the typically sun-baked course.
With the elites going faster and handoffs from the support crews becoming more unpredictable, especially where the 100-mile and 200-mile courses converge, pros welcomed the change.
"An extra feed this year is great, to keep us from having to hoof around a bunch of water, and makes it more professional," 2023 Unbound 200 winner Keegan Swenson (Specialized Off-road) told Cyclingnews.
"I think with the race live-streamed now, it just looks silly to have us carrying like four bottles and packs and all these different things. It makes the race more exciting when we're carrying less stuff. And, we're a little bit faster. It's less of a risk of losing bottles or whatever, and makes the race a little more competitive and more fair."
He mentioned his teammate Matt Beers as an example related to fairness: "Riders like Matt who are really big require more fluid and more food, so it's hard for a rider that size to physically even carry enough".
The new Feed Zones will also be implemented at Leadville Trail 100 MTB, the third stop of the Life Time Grand Prix.
"These zones will be tightly controlled to enhance safety, reduce congestion, and protect competitive integrity. Specific guidelines, including feeding from the right side only and no support from moving vehicles (bikes, motos, etc.), will be implemented," a statement from Life Time explained.
The first Feed Zone for pros is located in Madison at mile 43 at Madison High School. This is one mile past the Checkpoint area, which will be spaced along several blocks of 3rd Street in downtown.
The next Feed Zone is just outside Cassoday at mile 83.5, an area on NE Satchell Creek Road. The second Checkpoint is approximately 16.5 miles beyond this area, at Matfield Green Homestead.
The final Feed Zone for elites will arrive on the approach to Council Grove at mile 148 on Z Avenue. The third and final Checkpoint will be in downtown Council Grove at the high school, mile 160 for amateurs.
For more information on Unbound Gravel courses, visit the Unbound 2026 route page at Cyclingnews.
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