'Into the unknown': Michael Woods prepares for Unbound

Michael Woods participated in his first Unbound Gravel, focusing on finishing the race, but he also expressed that a top 10 finish would be "super cool." In an interview with Cyclingnews before the race in Emporia on Saturday, Woods stated, "I want to see what it's all about, test myself." Having been a professional road cyclist for ten years, Woods transitioned to gravel racing, pursuing events like the 200-mile race across the Flint Hills of Kansas, which he acknowledged as a significant endurance challenge.

Woods highlighted his nerves ahead of this long race, noting it would be his first experience racing over such a distance. He shared, "I feel like I'm woefully underprepared, but I'm trending in the right direction." His gravel racing this year included a seventh-place finish at the UCI Gravel World Series event The Gralloch and participation in The Traka 200, which is around 200 kilometers long.

Despite his successful road racing history, including three stage wins at the Vuelta a España and 13 Grand Tour starts, Woods remained cautious. He stated, "finishing – I'm serious," regarding his primary goal. He mentioned that many competitors had experienced mechanical issues and failures in the race, underscoring the unpredictability of such a long event.

Woods echoed his goal, stating, "Getting a top 10 would be super cool too," yet reinforced that finishing the race was his main objective.