After years of pixelated Instagram Stories and 30-second shaky cam reels from the Flint Hills, Unbound Gravel is finally getting the live coverage it deserves. That’s right; you can now watch the chaos, carnage (hopefully not too much), and glory of the world’s biggest gravel race in real-time without a single paywall in sight. No, it’s not Tiz-Cycling (we love our Tiz time, though). It’s LifeTime itself offering the coverage.
This coverage of Unbound has been a long time in the making. Since FloSports discontinued its LifeTime Grand Prix coverage in 2022, fans have been left in the digital dust. But this year, Life Time is going big, streaming seven full hours of uninterrupted race footage straight from the soul of gravel country: Emporia, Kansas.
From Grassroots to Global Showdown
Now in its 19th year, Unbound has grown into a global fixture, drawing over 4,000 riders to the Flint Hills for a five-race buffet of pain, ranging from a mellow (ish) 25 miles to a soul-wrecking 350-mile sufferfest. You’ll see it all: weekend warriors, die-hard dirt junkies, and WorldTour stars trading watts on the same chunky backroads.
But let’s be honest—it’s the 200-mile (and 300-mile but not televised) showdown that everyone’s watching. It’s where reputations are made, sponsors take notes, and cycling legends either rise or explode in a puff of limestone dust.
Watch the Whole Thing, Live and Free
For the first time, the elite men’s and women’s 200-mile races will be broadcast live, start to finish, with no geo-blocking and no subscriptions, bringing you gritty racing straight to your screen. Coverage kicks off Saturday, May 31, at 10:00 a.m. CT on the Life Time Grand Prix YouTube channel, with a pre-show leading into wall-to-wall race action and post-race reactions. And we’re not talking about one guy with an iPhone and a hotspot. This is a full-blown production; drones, motorcycles, commentary, and Bill Elliston!
The link to the live action is above, but to stoke the fire, here’s a recap of last year’s race.
The Crew Behind the Mic
Bringing the Flint Hills to life will be an all-star commentary crew:
- Payson McElveen, lifetime Grand Prix athlete and fan favorite (currently sidelined from racing after a crash at Sea Otter Classic but not from talking),
- Meredith Miller, former U.S. road and CX pro with race insight that only a racer of her caliber can offer
- Bill Elliston, longtime cycling announcer, gravel encyclopedia, coach, and our favorite Mid-Atlantic cyclocross/criterium legend.
- On-course updates from Mountain Bike Hall of Famer Nat Ross and former pro-Lauren Hall, both of whom know what it means to race through the chaos.
LifeTime’s Big Play
“We’re focused on elevating the sport of cycling at every level,” said Kimo Seymour, Life Time’s Senior VP of Media & Events. “Bringing live, free-to-stream coverage is a major step in that journey.”
Now, with real-time storytelling and a global audience tuning in, this should cement Unbound as the marquee event in off-road endurance racing. So, charge your devices, stock up on snacks, and clear your schedule. For the first time, you don’t have to be in Kansas to feel the grit.
