Defending champion Amity Rockwell laughs at being called the race favorite and no longer the one to raid under the dirt-covered forecast radar.

For the past year, Rockwell, like most riders, has not had many racing opportunities, and the chance to kick up dust around Emporia for the Unbound Gravel 200 has given this laid-back racer some adrenaline.

"I like this ride because of the distance, the place, the people, and the energy surrounding it. But mostly, I just like big, stupid rides. I do that at home and I do that in my training. So it's great for me to have a race that emulates what I like to do," Rockwell told Cycling News.

"This is my third time running here, so I'm confident. It's a long race. Things can go terribly wrong and you have a lot of time to fix it, so it's great mentally."

Rockwell finished a disappointing 18th in Kansas in 2018 after a series of mechanicals; in 2019, she won the Sweetwater Grasshopper and Old Growth Classic, finished second in the Kingridge Grasshopper, and the Emporia 200 She finished second in the Mylar and was renamed Unbound Gravel by new owner Lifetime after the event, catapulting her to the national gravel radar.

"I've always been more about distance than speed. I'm not a very fast person. But I like long, soulful, slow days. [Unbound] speaks to me in this same way."

Rockwell was first a runner, competed in cross country in high school and college, and switched to cycling just five years ago; in her first bike race in 2016, she started a few minutes behind a mass start and chased down the pack to win. In a short time, she came to love dirt more than pavement.

"Honestly, I started racing gravel at cool local events, but I also did a little road racing at the same time. The difference in riding styles is incredibly distinct, and I have to say that road racing wasn't for me. I was just not a good enough rider," said the 28-year-old from Northern California.

"Besides, I like to start with a huge group. Gravel is a different feeling."

The Unbound Gravel 200 has 146 women riders, including many road pros who came to Emporia to try gravel, including riders from TWENTY24 Pro Cycling. Beginners are occupied with digesting videos, podcasts, and social content from past participants to determine optimal nutrition, optimal self-support tactics, and even confidence in their self-navigation skills.

"Tactically I think I'm the weakest link. I tend to be a bit silly on the bike. Because I've always been a very scrappy cyclist. I'm a bit of an idiot on the bike because I've always been a very scrappy cyclist," says the current empress of Emporia.

"I've managed to patch it up about six times before I had to throw away the tube. I was dying to get on the bike, and I did a lot of the mechanical work myself that I learned on YouTube.

"I have very little racing experience like Lauren De Crescenzo, Allie Tetrick, and now Tiffany Cromwell (who will compete in a series of gravel races after the Olympics - editor's note)," Rockwell laughed. 'Obviously, they know how to handle any racing situation. "

The weather on Saturday is not a factor, except for headwinds and crosswinds across the prairie.

"[The competition] is a factor that I can't control, so I'm not stressed. From the early days of the local Grasshopper series, Caterina Nash showed up, Kate Courtney showed up, Allie Tetrick showed up. At the time, I was just a fan of Allie and knew very little about her. To be honest, now I think, 'Can I meet Tiffany Cromwell? I've been following her for years.

"So from day one, I had to face top-notch competition. Either I beat them and feel good about it, or they beat me and I learn a lot from them and watch them race. I learned a lot from how they raced."