Teamwork on the road is de rigeur but in gravel the focus more often on individual strength, with support riders an exception – albeit a growing one – rather than the rule. Key 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Unbound Gravel 200 contender, Russell Finsterwald, was grateful that Howard Gro▨tts was one of those exceptions in the Flint Hills of Kansas.

“One face that was originally part of the lead group this weekend was my teammate [Grotts],” said Finsterwald in an Instagram post. “We went into the day with the plan that we would race as a team and he wo൲uld ride in a support role, offering his assistance in the event of a mechanical or chasing back on.”

The Specialized Off-Road duo both made it into a lead group of seven that had formed and stretched out a considerable gap after a particularly brutal mud section around 11 miles into the racing. Adopting a tactic so often used in other disciplines – not always an approach free🐎 of controversy in gravel – delivered a crucial advantage that kept Finsterwald off the long listﷺ of favourites who had their chances ruined by mechanic🌱als.

“When I flatted roughly 30 miles in, Howie was there to swap wheels with me, allowing me to continue on and chase back to the lead group,” said Finsterwald. &ldqu🐼o;It was an absolute blast ripping through the chaotic mud with him early on and his sacrifice served as motivation to push through the da🌳rk moments throughout the day in hopes of bringing home a victory for the team.”

“It wasn’t a minor🌳 flat and took him nearly 20 minutes to get rolling which certꦬainly would’ve ended my chances at being able to contend for the win.”

"Thank you Howard."

It was a sacrifice made mention of by Payson McElveen, who went from near the lead of the race to an abandon after being hit by de🐽bilitating back spasms but remai♕ned embroiled in the race by posting updates to his Instagram story. He pointed out in his analysis that even with Grotts race saving move, there was still a cost to that flat for Finsterwald.

“Russell, despite that quick wheel change, had to chase back on his own and burn some matches to💜o,” said McElveen.

Still, the quick change was enough to see Finsterwald heading into the narrow finishing straight in the chase for a top position as the sprint unfolded in that lead group. 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz) took t𒐪he vic♏tory and the Specialized Off-Road rider finished in sixth place – one spot better than 2022 – w🅰hile his teammate Grotts came over the line in 29th spot.

"It's a heck of a challenge with plenty of ups and downs - both topograph🔯ical and psychological - but I certainly came away with some good memories," said Grotts in an Instagram post in the days after the race.

“Was happy to give [Finsterwald] a wheel around mile 25 so he could keep rolling since he was plenty fired up for this race. Then I just kept ⭕chugging along from there, sort-of-kind-of remembering to eat, but doing better at the end when rolling with an all-star group.&💜rdquo;