A step too far? UNBOUND Gravel comes under criticism for safety risks: “I wanted to leave my body”

UNBOUND Gravel may be one of the most iconic events in off-road cycling, drawing big names and ambitious amateurs alike, but its 2025 edition has come under fire following a serious safety incident that left one elite rider stranded without medical assistance for nearly two hours.

Canadian Rob Britton claimed victory in the men’s race, while Heather Jackson triumphed in the women’s event. Among the big names taking part were former WorldTour stars Greg Van Avermaet and Tom Dumoulin, who both travelled to the US to experience the famed Kansas gravel challenge.

But the prestige of the event has been overshadowed by criticism after Danish rider Klara Sofie Skovgaard suffered a severe crash and was left waiting 90 minutes in a roadside ditch before receiving professional medical attention.

The incident occurred during the women’s elite race on Saturday. Skovgaard dislocated and fractured her shoulder and sustained an open knee wound in the crash. With no medical personnel on hand, it fell to fellow competitors Luise Valentin (Enough Cycling Collective) and Lucy Hempstead (Classified x Rose) to abandon their own races and stay with Skovgaard while calling for help. According to their accounts, it took nearly two hours before an ambulance arrived to transport her to hospital.

“I wanted to leave my body, and I was getting hypothermic,” Skovgaard wrote on social media. “Travelling across the world to race means accepting risks, but I never expected to feel unsafe. I truly hope the organisers work to improve emergency access.”

Speaking to Cycling Weekly, Skovgaard described the scene in harrowing detail. “I just find it unbelievable that multiple media motorbikes and helicopters passed by without a single medical person,” she said. “My helmet was split in two and it could have been way worse. In that case, 90 minutes is simply way too long. Luckily, I’m okay and safe.”

Skovgaard’s gratitude to those who assisted her was clear, but so too was her concern about how the situation was handled. “I had a few age groupers stopping by shortly, who worked as a doctor and nurse. They gave me an emergency blanket as I was lying there. But it should not be other riders’ responsibility, although I’m incredibly grateful for their kindness.”

Valentin echoed the frustration, calling the long delay for medical response “honestly unbelievable.”

UNBOUND Gravel has grown into a flagship event of the global gravel calendar, attracting elite talent and international media coverage. But the incident raises serious questions about rider safety in remote, high-risk environments, particularly for an event of such scale and profile. The combination of long, isolated stretches of gravel roads and limited access points for emergency vehicles appears to have contributed to the delay.

So far, organisers have not issued a public statement addressing the criticism.