Robin Gemperle wins Unbound Gravel XL
Gemperle takes the first high-profile win on 32-inch wheels
Robin Gemperle has won the 350-mile Unbound Gravel XL in 21:20:04. Gemperle notibly won on a prototype 32-inch wheel Scott bike, the first high-profile win for a 32” across both gravel and mountain bike racing.
Unbound Gravel XL Results 2026
Results are based on the live dot tracker as of 7:25 p.m. local time on Saturday, May 30. Life Time’s results link for the XL is currently inaccurate.
Robin Gemperle - 21:20:05
Max Agut - 22:12:42
Alex McCormack - 23:34:52
Josh Amberger - 24:03:42
Matthew Lefthand - 24:12:57
Kevin Benkenstein - 26:40:47
Oskar Hertz - 26:41:00
Everett Werner - 26:42:00
Svenja Betz - 27:13:00 - Women’s First Place Winner
Chris Mehlman - 27:24:00
Madeleine Nutt - 27:48:00 - Women’s Second Place
Tobias Midderhoff - 28:09:00
Nathan Stayrook Hobbs 28:09:01
Antonio Marquina - 28:19:00
The race set off from Emporia, Kansas at 3:00 p.m. local time under sunny skies. Dry and fast conditions defined the evening, but rain and mud slowed things down overnight. An Instagram post by racer Chris Mehlman showed riders hiking through mud-saturated roads.
Pete Stetina, who was racing his first-ever ultra distance gravel event, was racing in the top 10 before pulling out after a late night crash. The Canyon racer was riding with Alex McCormack, Robin Gemperle, and Victor Bosoni, when a crash gashed his right leg below the knee.
“With my headlamp I could see fascia under globs of mud,” Stetina said. “I knew it would be a guaranteed infection and lasting damage to continue with my injury.”
“While the crash and midnight stitches are a bummer, what really hurts is I didn’t actually get to explore the ultra space, only got an appetizer,” he said. “I didn’t get the do THE thing, the riding from sunrise to sunset and hopefully finding out more about myself. Will need to try again somewhere, someday, somehow.”
Read: Why Pete Stetina is racing Unbound XL
Ted King, a 2x-winner of the 200-mile Unbound Gravel distance, also pulled out with a leg injury. Ironically, he visited the same hospital as Stetina.
“Nothing good happens after 9pm,” King said. “I’m relatively okay. Couple stitches and I’ll be back swinging in no time. Apparently I didn’t want @pstetina to be lonely in the hospital.”
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