Mattia de Marchi, a seasoned gravel racer, heads into the Unbound Gravel 200 with enhanced focus and mental resilience after a strong fifth-place finish in 2024. His experience in European races has strengthened him physically, but he recognizes the unique demands of Unbound, where endurance, mental acuity, and adaptability are critical. De Marchi shares insights about past races, both for preparedness and the need to face the unpredictable elements of the Flint Hills, including challenging weather conditions. His pre-race routine includes stocking up on pasta, highlighting the importance of nutrition in his training.
I've been racing the Traka 200 and 360 for the last three years and found it to be great preparation for Unbound last year.
In my first year here it was dry at the start, then it rained for the last four hours, and I lost the top 10 because I didn't have glasses and I couldn't see.
The first rule is to go to the market and buy a lot of pasta.
But it's also really tough to stay fully focused and sharp for nine hours while racing.
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