2022 Unbound Gravel forced a last-minute course change. The sun may have been shining when riders began gathering in Kansas on Thursday morning, but news broke late in the day that flooding had occurred off course, preventing the riders from crossing several scheduled rivers.

Organizers rerouted the 200-mile (322 km) and XL (350-mile) courses and changed the plan to send Saturday's race south from Eureka after the 77-mile checkpoint.

"We know it's not ideal to change the course so close to race day! But this is gravel! That's why we love this course," said race organizers in an Instagram post that included footage of a flooded river.

Instead of heading south of Eureka, which was changed this year to ride the punchy climb up Canyon Hill, the course was moved east to avoid a flooded impassable section. But that doesn't mean riders will be able to keep their tires dry this year.

"Don't worry - we're working with the local emergency services and we're still leaving plenty of your favorite crossing channels," organizers said.

"We just removed the unsafe areas," the organizer said.

Last year, Lauren De Crescenzo won the women's division of the Unbound Gravel 200 in 12 hours, 6 minutes, and 49 seconds after running the last 55 miles solo. The men's division was a sprint contest in 10 hours, 17 minutes, and 24 seconds, with Ian Boswell winning ahead of Lawrence ten Dam.

This year, the race, which starts and finishes in Emporia, will be broadcast live and is the second and longest 200-mile event of the six races in the Lifetime Grand Prix Series.