Cameron Jones had a strong motivation to race for a good result at Unbound Gravel: the New Zealander was searching for a wild card selection into the Life Time Grand Prix, a new rule for the series this year that created races within the race.
But Jones didn't just register a good result, he won the race – and in a record-breaking time of 8:37:09 hours for the 200-mile event.
Jones was one of several riders gunning for one of four wildcard card slots in America’s premiere off-road cycling series, which is determined based on results at the Sea Otter Classic gravel race, which took place back in April and Unbound Gravel. A tenth place for Jones at Sea Otter put him in second in the wild card standings, and Jones’ big win at Unbound all but guarantees his selection for the series.
Jones had the wildcard on his mind, but he said once he got stuck into the racing, his excitement for the win got the best of him.
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“I think I said a few times in the days leading up to it, when people ask me about my tactics, that with this whole wild card thing, it's kind of in my best interest to play it safe,” he said at the finish.
“Like it's not just the race that you can lose, it's the chance to be in the Grand Prix. And every time I said that, I’m like, ‘who am I kidding?’ Yeah, I'll always go out and race like there's nothing to lose. And yeah, it worked out this time.”
Jones embarked on a breakaway along with Tudor Pro Cycling’s Simon Pellaud. The Kiwi bridged to the front group around mile 40 on Divide Road and immediately powered past them to the front. He caught the eye of the Swissman Pellaud, who joined him off the front.
“I was initially a bit uncertain, but Simon sort of affirmed to me that it was a good idea,” Jones said.
Once the two went away, they never came back, opening their gap to as much as eight minutes.
“I enjoyed riding with him a lot,” Pellaud said of Jones. “It was a full commitment. That's how a breakaway should always be, like one unit. I was greasing his chain. He gave me some water. He was better in the technical part than me. So riding the technical part, he was waiting for me. I was stronger in the climb until I ran out of sugar in the final.”
Jones put in his final move on the final rise into town, where Pellaud admitted he didn’t have enough energy and struggled with stomach cramps.
Pellaud is also a rider in contention for the Grand Prix overall, and his second at Unbound will be a boon for his position in the general classification.
He lives in high-altitude Colombia, which will be helpful for the next race in the series, the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race in Colorado. He is non-committal to his Grand Prix ambitions, but recognises his role as an entertainer for cycling fans.
“Today, we did a great show,” Pellaud said. “I hope you enjoyed it, and that's what I'm here for, to make the show and to enjoy it.”
Jones plans to stay in the US for the rest of the season. Before Unbound, he hadn’t committed to Leadville, but now that he’s in the Grand Prix, he’s up to the task.
“I’m real keen to take on the challenge of the altitude and a lot of climbing,” he said.
