It wasn’t precisely an uneventful Might for Tasman Nankervis. First, he took the UCI Gravel World Sequence win in Nannup Western Australia, even after having to monitor down his lacking bike on race eve. Then, it was an in depth dash on the Australian Mountain Bike Marathon Nationwide Championships to take the runner-up spot earlier than the subsequent day flying out for his first gravel race in the USA.
June is ready to be much more laden with motion for the 27-year-old Australian, notably provided that first race US race is Unbound Gravel 200.
Meaning 205 miles, or 330km, of gravel roads with a top-notch subject full of the gravel specialists from the US, worldwide challengers and a number of riders from different disciplines which were drawn to the distinguished gravel race within the Flint Hills of Kansas.
“It is the roughest first race and the largest unknown,” Nankervis (BMC-Shimano) instructed Cyclingnews earlier than flying out from Australia.
“I imply I’ve accomplished lots of endurance coaching the final month, growing that in quantity, however I do not assume anybody, until you have accomplished Unbound earlier than, can know the way the physique will actually react after 9 to 10 hours of racing. You understand, I can do 9 to 10 hours of driving, however to race it, it should be a special problem. Fueling [and] pacing are simply going to be so essential. And luck, as nicely by the sounds of it.”
However Unbound is only the start.
Nankervis is among the many 70 riders – 35 males and 35 girls – which were chosen to race the Life Time Grand Prix collection, which delivers seven rounds of racing within the US and a $250,000 prize purse. It is a chance to make a mark within the gravel world, a sort of racing which appears perfect for the multi-discipline rider from Bendigo.
“Typically I really feel like I am simply jack of all trades, grasp of none however gravel appears to essentially swimsuit me,” mentioned Nankervis. And so does the collection mixture of lengthy mountain bike occasions and gravel racing below the one banner.
“I’ve acquired that mountain bike and highway racing background and these are type of even the dream occasions, these lengthy mountain bike marathons and gravel races they usually’ve acquired large atmospheres. There’s good prize cash for the collection when you do nicely after which the alternatives are simply a lot greater within the US.”
That would probably imply, if all goes to plan, that sooner or later he could not must dig as deeply into his personal pocket to make the journey to North America. Nankervis mentioned he’s lucky to have all his tools coated by his sponsors, however there’s a lot extra, notably when competing in the USA means an costly 20-odd hour flight, accomodations and taking months off work, which for Nankervis is as an train physiologist in a regional Victorian hospital.
“I am going to positively be dwelling on a budget,” mentioned Nankervis, who’s travelling along with his girlfriend.
Meaning house-sitting the place doable and renting a pickup truck from a buddy, with a mattress thrown within the again and field trailer to move bikes and tenting gear, in what is going to present a less expensive possibility than flying from race to race. At the very least that method he also can depend on there being no repeat of his Nannup expertise when he acquired off his flight to search out his bike hadn’t arrived.
Nankervis missed the primary spherical of the Grand Prix, the Sea Otter Basic’s Fuego XL mountain bike race in April, staying in Australia a little bit longer as an alternative. He’s dealing with a giant unknown on the second spherical, Unbound Gravel 200, however it’s all-important to make as many rounds as doable depend. He’ll now race six of the seven occasions and 5 depend in direction of his tally on the collection leaderboard.
“I am life like that as a result of each race goes to be new to me, it’d take a full 12 months of doing this racing to determine it out and possibly subsequent 12 months I will be requested to return again however I believe financially … hopefully subsequent 12 months I can do it supported.”
Races that he hopes will assist him begin shifting up the leaderboard are on the horizon. Crusher within the Tushar on July 8, the third occasion, has a hill-top end that performs to the Australian’s climbing power, which additionally helped him take off and journey solo to victory in Nannup.
Then there’s the Leadville Path 100 MTB in August that Nankervis picked as among the many races most definitely to assist him transfer up the rankings and attain his aim of a top-10 end.
“I do know I could be aggressive and so long as I get that high 10 total, I will be within the prize cash so I am going to try to goal for that and ensure I haven’t got too many mechanicals,” mentioned Nankervis.
