Ted King Wins Gravel Worlds Long Voyage

There’s definitely a lesson about patience in here somewhere. Maybe along the lines of: “You need to be patient to make it through an ultra race just as I needed to be patient to get over some mid season injuries.” 

All said and done, I had a flawless run at the Gravel Worlds 300 Mile Long Voyage. I laid low in every way leading into the race. Whether I’d even start it was touch-and-go, since I’m recovering from a broken scapula suffered in a mountain bike race in July. On top of that, we’ve spent the past few months moving our family from Vermont to Bentonville. Combining these two challenges has been a real test of the ability to knit bones back together and maintain range of motion. It’s been a painful and sleep-deprived last five weeks, riding has been relatively minimal, but I still have a long history in cycling to lean into for long-haul events.

It was a really nice group rolling out of Lincoln, Nebraska. The first two or three hours, the lead group dwindled, but still maintained a solid clip. In this hot summer weather, the race became tactical: whether people would stop or not. I came prepared for riding 100-mile stretches, and that helped further reduce the group. Basically, from there, I went on a 270-mile breakaway.

My Cannondale Topstone was the perfect tool for the job. The Lefty front suspension helps with comfort, speed and safety on rough terrain, especially at night, where obstacles aren’t always easy to see.

Since you’re probably wondering about my tires: I ran a 700×48 Poteau Mountain up front, in Endurance Plus casing…

…paired with 700×44 Snoqualmie Pass Endurance Plus in the rear. Why the smoother and narrower rear tire? Thunderstorms lingered all race week, so mud was always a huge threat—and if your clearances were tight, the mud build-up could stop you dead in your tracks.

I chose the Endurance Plus casing, as it’s my go-to for races on rough surfaces. There were eight or nine MMRs (minimally maintained roads) sprinkled along the course, so it’s not just a 300-mile gravel highway. Deep into the night, I was grateful to have the confidence of grippy knobs on my Poteaus on the front, where it matters the most.