Ever since EF Education–EasyPost started its alternative calendar in 2019, sending riders to events outside of WorldTour racing, Alex Howes has been taking advantage of the opportunities to race something other than road.
He placed third in his debut at Unbound Gravel that year and is lining up once again this year in Emporia, Kansas.
The former US national road champion is tackling the 200-mile race aboard a Cannondale SuperSix EVO SE complete with Vision wheels and cockpit, Vittoria tires, and a healthy dose of spare parts strapped on in case anything should go awry in the unsupported race.
Cannondale created the SuperSix EVO SE as a gravel race bike. Drawing heavily on the design of the SuperSix Evo road race bike, it’s perfect for a fast race like Unbound.
Unbound riders can’t accept help outside of designated aid stations, so they must carry anything they need to repair a bike. Howes has a primary chain link and a tire plug taped to his cockpit for easy access.
Howes has taken this trick out of the WorldTour spring classics playbook: grip tape inside the bottle cages keeps bottles in place no matter how rough the terrain.
Howes has a spare tube taped to the downtube for quick access.
With 52/36T Hollowgram cranks and a 11-32T cassette, the 11-speed Dura-Ace Di2 drivetrain would be perfectly at home on a road bike.
The Vision Metron wheels are set up with 38c Vittoria Terreno Dry tires.
Anything Howes will need to repair a flat is tucked away in a tool roll under his Prologo Dimension saddle.
Cannondale released the SuperSix EVO SE last year.
The Vision Metron 6D handlebar provides Howes an aero front end.
Muc-Off helps keep the bike aligned with the EF team’s pink theme with these valves.