Unbound Roars Again

Each spring, when the wind stirs the grass across the Kansas prairie, the quiet town of Emporia transforms into a place of pilgrimage. Thousands of cyclists from around the world gather here to face one of the toughest, most beautiful and legendary challenges in cycling: Unbound Gravel.

In 2025, more than 5,000 women and men, pros and amateurs, rode the rolling, rugged paths of the Flint Hills, on a surface as unique as it is treacherous, famously known as ‘champagne gravel’.
The name might sound delicate, but the reality couldn’t be further from it. What appears from afar to be soft, rounded pebbles is, in fact, sharp-edged flint, tiny shards of stone that shred tires and devour legs. The Flint Hills, a vast region that escaped glacial flattening, form a wild terrain of exposed ridgelines and long, gentle climbs. A landscape as stunning as it is unforgiving. A silent hell cloaked in beauty.

The main event, the iconic 200-mile race (over 320 km), remains the heart of it all. Average speeds can reach over 38 km/h, a staggering feat considering the loose stones, endless dust and total lack of shade or shelter. But speed isn’t everything here. You must pace yourself, choose your gear wisely, fix your own mechanicals and, above all, endure. The reckless are dropped. The adaptable survive.

This year, Unbound also served as the ultimate testing ground at OOLAB for two new Orbea bikes: the Terra Race and the renewed Terra. Two bikes designed to interpret modern gravel riding in very different, yet equally demanding, ways.

Morgan Aguirre did far more than survive. Because it takes serious talent to cross the finish line in a strong 9th place after 200 brutal, endless miles. On a day when many favorites fell to fatigue or misfortune, she delivered a superb, courageous performance.

After a disappointing DNF in her 2024 debut at Unbound 200, the American returned this year with unwavering determination. Riding an Orbea Terra bearing the cryptic, evocative OOLAB badge, Aguirre once again proved herself a relentless force on the gravel scene.

“It’s the first time I’ve finished Unbound, and I think this result was a great way to put Terra Race to the test,” said Morgan. “The bike responded incredibly well. The geometry is much more aggressive. I was surprised by how easily I opened gaps on the descents just by pedaling. We’d go downhill in a line, I’d look back to find I’d made a big gap with very little effort.
The wheels are very fast and incredibly tough. They held up perfectly even after some really hard impacts.”

This race spares no one, not even the strongest. Lukas Baum, a tenacious climber, and Lawrence Naesen, hardened by countless battles in the WorldTour, came to Kansas as serious contenders. But both were forced to abandon. Emporia does not honor résumés, it demands tribute and gives no explanation.

Both teammates, like Morgan, raced on Terra Race.
“The feel on the bike was great. It responds well, it’s stiff yet very comfortable. I like the rounded seatpost, which seems to add the comfort needed to balance out the stiffness of the frame. The integrated carbon handlebar is also a key detail. I was confident I could push the pace hard on this bike (…),” said Lawrence.

“The hub on the new OQUO RP50 LTD wheels is also impressive, in my opinion. I felt like one of the strongest in the group, but luck wasn’t on my side and I suffered a snakebite on both sides of the tires. A shame to end my race that way, but I was more than impressed with the new setup. I’ll use the same wheels at the Belgian National Road Championship in Binche.

All in all, we had a great week. The good moments made the whole trip worthwhile. That’s gravel!”

The fourth member of the Orbea expedition, Griffin Easter, arrived in Emporia with a string of gravel victories to his name. His ability to read races and execute smart strategies has made him a respected figure in the gravel circuit. Knowing that Unbound offers no certainties, Easter bet on the long game, steady pacing and patient focus. On Saturday, he rode with a cool head, avoiding the trap of going too hard, too soon. As others crumbled from the heat, the rocks and the seemingly endless 320 kilometers, he kept moving forward, finishing in a very respectable 32nd place.

With this strategy in mind, Griffin chose the new Terra.
Designed for endurance, it prioritizes comfort without sacrificing performance. Ideal for races that fall in that no-man’s land between marathon and ultra-distance, where every decision counts.

“The Terra cockpit is super comfortable even after almost 10 hours of racing. The new Terra is just as fast, even with the widest tires. I crashed twice and hit the rear wheel hard in a massive hole which presented itself before I could react, and the bike held up. The new OQUO RP 50 LTD wheelset with OQUO hubs were bombproof..
I loved the new LOCKR — 35% more storage inside the frame — even fully loaded, the bike still felt very light. Not needing to carry a fully stuffed saddle bag is a huge advantage in such long races.”

For Orbea, this year’ Unbound wasn’t just a race. It marked the culmination of a long and secret investigation and development process. The public debut of Orbea’s two new gravel machines: the Terra Race, built for peak performance, and the Terra, designed for comfort on endless, punishing rides.
Together, they represent Orbea’s answer to a concept of gravel that has radically transformed in just a few years. A discipline that is becoming increasingly more professional, faster and more demanding. Orbea hasn’t just understood this change : it has evolved with it.