Unbound Perspectives: Brennan Wertz

Ed.: Unbound, the world’s most important gravel race, is today! For a week, professional racers and mere mortals from all over the world congregate in Emporia, Kansas, to celebrate gravel cycling. Unbound is truly special. There’s the course, which combines scenic beauty with challenging hills and the infamous super-sharp rocks. But more important is the community of riders who all share the same goal: doing their best in this, the biggest gravel race of them all. And that’s easier said than done.

U.S. National Gravel Champ Brennan Wertz knows about the vagaries of racing in the Flint Hills. Power and bike handling skills are essential, but so is a healthy dose of luck. I first met Brennan during the final kilometers of Unbound 2022, when the 200-mile leaders passed me as I was finishing my first 350-mile XL. His shout of encouragement as he flew by warmed my heart and made my legs spin a little faster over the next mile. We saw each other again at the finish. His face was even muddier than mine, a sign of the higher speeds and closer drafting in the pro peloton. It was a special moment, a shared experience as we both had just given it all to the gravel roads of the Flint Hills. Here’s Brennan’s story.

I first attended Unbound back in 2021. It was my first-ever big gravel race, and I loved the experience. I managed to place in the top ten that first year and have been trying to better that result ever since. I raced Unbound again in 2022, when I suffered many mechanicals. I was forced to sit out the 2023 edition due to an untimely Covid infection. And then I suffered again with a nasty string of mechanicals last year. Going into this year, I am more prepared than I ever have been for this race. Of course, I am crossing my fingers for as close to a clean run as possible on that brutal course.

Over the years, my setups have certainly evolved, especially regarding tires and their volume. In 2021 (above), I ran 38 mm semi-slicks. In 2022, I rolled on 44 mm Snoqualmie Pass Endurance+. In 2024, I opted for the newly-released 44 mm Manastash Ridge Endurance+. This year, I anticipate continuing that trend and setting up my Scott Addict Gravel RC with 48 mm rubber. If there is mud on the course, then I will have to size down for extra mud clearance. But if it’s dry, I will be upping my tire size and running a tire with some knobs.

The race has changed over the years. The speeds continue to increase rapidly. When we ride in the peloton at the front of the race, we can’t really see the big rocks in front of our tires and often hit said rocks head-on. In my eyes, this is the biggest reason for the increase in tire sizes throughout the pro fields. And as the speeds increase, stopping to repair a puncture and making it back to the front of the race is becoming more and more difficult, so riders are opting for bigger tires in an effort to avoid that at all costs, especially in a race like Unbound.

Unbound is a crazy race, and yet it’s one I look forward to every year. It is also an absolute beast of a race. I have huge respect for the course, the conditions and the competition. I hope for better luck this year than the last three years. More than anything, I am thrilled to get back into the thick of the race and see what I am capable of achieving.

Photo credits: Marc Arjol Rodriguez/Velophoto.tx (Photo 1 and 4); Enve (Photo 2); Jim Merithew (Photo 3)

Watch the Race!

For the first time, the 2025 race will be broadcast live. If you’re interested, click on the ‘Play’ arrow below to tune in.