Sebastian Logue designed a sweet logo with a terrific story behind it. Ted King is, of course, the former Tour de France pro rider, a Middlebury College grad and a two-time winner of Dirty Kanza, the 200-mile gravel race in Kansas. And that was with stops to pump breast milk and get a sandwich. In 2017 she entered one of the most grueling gravel rides, the Belgian Waffle Ride, 133 miles of Southern California dirt with 10,000 feet of climbing and over 1,000 competitors. To learn more about gravel racing and to follow along with Ted's adventure, you can check out his website. Ted King started gravel racing in 2015 after spending 10 years on the professional road circuit. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine My dad suffered a stroke in 2003 and this ride raises funds for the Krempels Center. May 3, the same day he had been planning on racing in California’s premiere gravel event, the Belgian Waffle Ride, Ted hopped on his bike at his house in Richmond and rode to the Canadian border and back—141 miles, half of those on dirt or gravel with 11,220 feet of climbing. Despite his mixed feelings about aero bars for gravel, King used the Zipp Zuka Clip bars to help him handle the strong headwind. In 2020, as gravel rides around the country were cancelled due to Covid-19, Ted began replacing them with what he dubbed #DIYGravel, a challenge to ride similar distances and elevations to what say a Rasputitsa or a Belgian Waffle Ride might entail. There’s a bunch of great events, including Rasputitsa (April) 18, Vermont Overland (late August), and Northwoods Gravel Grind (Maine, mid September), all of which I’ve done and can attest are challenging, fun, and well-run. Who’s Profiting from Memes, Mittens, Jackets.. and Now Socks? But after some thought, that’s really not how I operate. All of which are the best in the business and have very simple opt-out options. A week later, Laura rode that same route to Canada and back. By entering, you may receive correspondence and sweet incentives from my sponsors. On March 7, the day before she gave birth to Hazel King, Laura went out for a two-and-a-half hour ride. A conversation with former professional cyclist and current king of gravel, Ted King. Thanks to Wide Angle Podium, please visit the STORE to join the DIYgravel community and support the King Challenge in the process! Losing charitable rides is heartbreaking. Follow along and promote your rides using #DIYGravel. Ted King tackles a 20-hour 310-mile gravel ride in Vermont (Image credit: Ansel Dickey) Long-distance rides are all the rage right now with Everesting … The 2020 race was just won by professional gravel cyclist Ted King in 4 days, 20 hours, and 51 minutes. The world is a better place when more people are on bikes,” Ted King said. Former professional road cyclist Ted King, who now competes in gravel racing, shares what he typically eats for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks during training. The more rides you do in the one week period increases your chances to win. Rooted Vermont is Ted and Laura King's first ever gravel event. We would all like to be able to do these kind of things things and not quarantine upon return to Vermont. Join me and the whole DIY community as I ride the same distances as the events on my 2020 calendar — see bottom of the page for that schedule. If you don't know who Ted King is, he's a pro road racer originally from New Hampshire. Ted King’s 2018 Dirty Kanza 200 Cannondale SuperX. Part Everesting and part #DIYgravel DK200, Ted pushed the limits of solo gravel racing on the all new Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty full-suspension gravel machine. Edward Carrington King (born January 31, 1983) is a retired American professional road racing cyclist who last rode for UCI ProTeam Cannondale–Garmin. Actually, it's their first ever event period. However, I am not sure where in this article you are seeing that they made multiple trips or what information from this story leads you to conclude they did not quarantine. Speed and time do not matter. Welcome to KING OF THE RIDE! Ted King is, of course, the former Tour de France pro rider, a Middlebury College grad and a two-time winner of Dirty Kanza, the 200-mile gravel race in Kansas. The King Challenge is a huge part of my year, it’s a huge part of my life. “I love this feeling of questioning whether I can do something and being nervous about it. We raise $100,000+ every year for the Krempels Center with the King Challenge and I want to be able to donate a huge portion of that to the ride, even if the ride can’t happen. What happens when two of the best gravel riders in the world find their race season canceled? Please excuse the typos Welcome to the show. From 2006 to 2016 Ted King was a professional road cycling before switching to gravel where he took 1st at the DK200 in 2016 and 2017. The Overland This event sold out … I have ridden 200 miles before in the Seattle-to-Portland ride but that was maybe 10 years ago.”. King turned professional in 2006 and raced for ten years, retiring from contemporary road racing in 2015. Ted is an ambassador for the general sport of cycling. The rules are simple: you have 9 days from the date of the ride to do your own ride, you ride alone and then enter your ride (or Strava link) on Ted’s website, iamtedking.com. Cross Vermont - Ted King's 310-mile Solo Gravel Adventure Ted King took no prisoners as he committed to the ultimate adventure across his home state of Vermont. (See “Ted King’s Wildest Gravel Ride”, p. He quickly segued to the burgeoning world of gravel cycling, where he has been a pioneer in the world of competitive gravel racing. “I didn’t start out to do a 200-mile ride or to prove myself or do a #DIYGravel or anything like that,” she said by phone a few weeks later. Ted King’s Rooted Vermont (early August) is also on my list to do at some point.. A bigger list of events in VT is here. What are you eligible to win? Kudos to Laura and Ted on their accomplishments. Riding mostly alone and subsisting on a piece of banana bread a friend baked for her, UnTapped waffles and Lemon Tea Mapleaid mix, Laura followed the back roads on a course Ted had laid out, only rerouting once when she came to a dirt road and an area she describes as “a bit sketchy.” Ted and Hazel met her briefly mid-route and then waited at the end with Ted’s brother, a former pro bike racer, Robbie and his family. That same first week Ted did his big ride, Laura took off from their home in Richmond and rode, unsupported and mostly solo, 203 miles to Portland, Me. “I was surprised to learn what my body could still let me do, “ she said later. Share this In 2019, he and his wife Laura started what quickly became one of the most popular events on the gravel racing circuit, Rooted Vermont. Ted King (@iamtedking) is a USA bike racer who competed in the ProTour from 2006 through 2015, racing the most famous events in the world including Paris Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders, and the Tour de France. This is the first installment of a five-part series spearheaded by the King of Gravel, Ted King, as he goes deep on all aspects of gravel cycling. Thank you for the comment and yes, everyone should follow state Covid-19 guidelines, athletes or not. “I didn’t really put this out there on social media ahead of time because I wasn’t sure I could do it,” Laura admitted. You're welcome to follow along with other riders in this #DIYGravel community by joining the Strava club. In the years since his retirement, he has continued to be active in cycling and has wholeheartedly embraced the gravel race scene. Losing charitable rides is … Follow Ted and Laura King on instagram at @LauraCameronKing and @IAmTedKing and at iamtedking.com. The weeks after your first baby is born is a time most parents find challenging. However, as Vermonters, their accomplishments do not alleviate them of their responsibility to follow Vermont’s COVID-19 quarantine rules after their multiple trips to Portland during times of travel restrictions and required quarantines, which they did not do. Coping with COVID-19, virtual events and … 49:33. Cycling is inherently dangerous. Ted King and his wife Laura recently left the California life behind for Vermont’s gravel roads, green hills, maple syrup, and IPA. She hit 52 miles an hour roaring down the Kancamangus Highway in New Hampshire and averaged 17 mph. Duh. Get outside and move today, I promise you’ll feel better! April 29, 2020. In a lineage of big rides for King that includes dozens of gravel races, Grand Tours and monuments, the DIY Gravel ride down Vermont occupies its own special place. They call Ted King the ‘King of Gravel’: Winner of both the Dirty Kanza and Grinduro in 2018, he’s the man to beat. Since then, Ted King has ridden solo the Belgian Waffle Ride, R3G3 and Dirty Kanza, all of them in May.This last #DIYGravel was even more impressive, as despite being registered for the 200-mile ride, he decided to raise the bar and do 312 miles (500 kilometers) nonstop, from the most northeastern point of the state of Vermont to the opposite corner. We discuss gravel riding across the country, the great community, equipment choices and the inaugural Rooted Vermont event Ted and his wife have created. Ted King started riding in the latter days of his teen years, turned pro in 2006, retired in 2015 and has been turning circles ever since. We sat down to talk entrepreneurship, cycling, and health, but we didn’t need much conversation to see the opportunities for each right in front of us at that ski hill. The Solo DK DIY”, we profiled Cannondale stalwart Ted King as he took on an incredible gravel ride, venturing from one corner of Vermont to another, covering over 300 miles along gravel roads the entire distance: in one bike ride. Ted King ventures into his first ultra-distance bikepacking race. At 37, he is one of the best gravel racers in the world. Laura, 34, a former elite triathlete, has been quietly carving her own path in gravel racing. (Again, joining the club doesn't not enter you into contention. Here is how the ‘King of Gravel’ chooses his tires. Ted’s brother lives there, so I figured that would be a good place to ride to.”. 12.). We’ve given away a SRAM powermeter, over $1000 in Velocio gift cards, loads of tires from Rene Herse, Zipp XPLR handlebars, ROKA sunglasses and backpack, a Saris car rack, and mountains of swag. Ted, who grew up in New Hampshire, and Laura, who is from the Seattle area, moved to a farmhouse in Richmond, Vt. in 2018 and a year later launched their own gravel ride, Rooted Vermont, out of Cochran’s Ski Area. It feels like the same as when you enter a race. The King of Gravel After a successful seven year stint as a domestique in the WorldTour, Ted King’s blazing a new trail as a fixture and pioneer of the burgeoning world gravel scene. For Ted, the #DIYGravel challenge has been a way to maintain his race schedule and the training it would have taken and to keep his 42,000 Instagram followers and sponsors —Cannondale, UnTapped (which he is co-owner of), SRAM, ROKA, Velocio and others happy. And to do so mostly solo. Participating in DIYgravel is done at your own risk. There’s getting enough sleep, feeding the baby, changing diapers and, this year, maintaining a work schedule during Covid-19. This article refers to one trip, where they had take-out pizza with Ted’s brother after the ride. Craig. Ted King turned his hand to the world of gravel riding after a 10-year professional road riding career where he served as a domestique. Without fail, the fresh air, exercise endorphins, friend time and outdoor beauty have me returning home energized, body aches gone, 100x more positive and motivated and with more patience than I woke up with. But, as she posted following her March two-and-a-half hour ride: My recent routine: wake up, feel tired and lethargic, lacking motivation with pregnancy aches and pains—I think of cancelling my plans to meet a friend to ride—but then I don’t. The Kings have billed the event as a “Return to Gravel,” which has a deeper meaning for the couple after they moved back to Vermont from California last June. Few riders have as much experience riding and racing all over the world as Ted King. Gravel bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes, and every iteration in between, follow along on Ted's fast paced adventures to bike rides everywhere. Ted King: Team tactics change the spirit of gravel Former WorldTour pro and Dirty Kanza winner Ted King talks about the spirit of gravel racing, tactics, and yes, aero bars. The King Challenge is a huge part of my year, it’s a huge part of my life. After a ten-year career in the World Tour ranks of professional road racing, Ted thought he was hanging up his wheels and setting off towards the … Laura and Ted King have been across the country and the world riding in gravel events, and this weekend, they are returning the favor by inviting graveleurs to their own backyard and the first-ever Rooted Vermont.. He owns Untapped. With a “mullet protocol” (‘business up front, party in the back’) it sold out. Ride outdoors or indoors, on-road or off-road, all rides welcome so long as they adhere to local ordinances. Editor’s Note: ‘Gravel’ means different things in different regions, from the smooth dirt roads of Vermont to the Flint Hills of Kansas. The hub for everything Cycling, Gravel, plus Ted’s Podcasts, Videos, Blogs, and much more. With ‘gravel’ being the fastest-growing segment of the bicycle market, even professional teams are lining up to challenge Ted. April 18 | Rasputitsa | VermontMay 3 | Belgian Waffle Ride | CaliforniaMay 23 | R3G3 — Gravel Cup | Ontario, CanadaMay 30 | Dirty Kanza 200 | KansasJune 6 | Wilmington Whiteface | New York* July 18 | Raid Lamoille | VermontJuly 22 | The Rift | IcelandJuly 31-August 2 | Rooted Vermont | VermontAugust 16 | SBTGRVL | ColoradoAugust 23 | Vermont Overland | VermontSeptember 3-6 | Rebecca’s Private Idaho | IdahoOctober 17 | King Challenge | New HampshireOctober 24 | Big Sugar | Arkansas, *as a spectator and supporter of my super wife Laura. This is the fourth installment of a five-part series spearheaded by the King of Gravel, Ted King, as he goes deep on all aspects of gravel cycling. “When I decided to do 140-mile distance I had some hesitations and thought maybe I’d design a course that had a little bit less of an elevation gain and was a little easier than what Ted did. Ted and Laura King’s Gravel Riding Adventures. Ted King’s 2020 DIY Challenge This past year could have been a major bummer for Ted King. All you have to do is ride your bike throughout the week that I have events on my calendar. As more events get outright cancelled, there is something special about the original event day and that's something I want to recognize. As a two-time winner of the epic that is the Dirty Kanza 200, the gravel overlord is back on the #groadtokanza, this time to stake his claim as the epicenter’s first 3x winner. Read more about it here. Ted King Automatic Transcription. Two time Dirty Kanza winner Ted King joins us on the podcast to chat about becoming a new dad, his pro tour career, transitioning to gravel racing, DIY gravel events and more. Losing rides is sad. Thank you very much for having me. It’s not a time when you would expect both parents to do the longest, hardest single-day bike rides of their lives. Earlier this month he completed the 1,000+ mile Arkansa High Country Race in first with a time of 4 days, 20 hours, which was good enough to snag the FKT set by Jay Petervary in June of this year. Ted King, Gravel Cyclist . In our recent Chronicles story entitled, “Let’s Ride! Losing rides is sad. If you’re Ted and Laura King, you do the longest, hardest rides of your life. On April 18, the day Vermont’s legendary Rasputitsa ride was scheduled to happen, Ted King rode the route of the 40-mile-something NEK event —which had been canceled due to Covid-19—on his own. I thought if he can do the course he put together I am just as capable of doing it, too,” she said. This is NOT a race. Rooted Vermont: Return to Gravel is a brand new gravel event that will take place on August 4, 2019 in Richmond, VT. Former World Tour professional racer and current King of Gravel, Ted King, is creating this event with his wife, Laura, with the goal to highlight the very best of cycling and the Green Mountain State, both on the bike and off. She dropped out that year but came back in 2018 and placed second, just ahead of pro rider and Dirty Kanza winner Alison Tetrick. At 37, he is … Unless those parents are Ted King and his wife, Laura Cameron King. Vermont Sports Magazine January/February 2021, We started thinking about Mountain Biking. I'm planning to be there. It was King’s tribute to the mother of all gravel rides, Kansas’ 200-mile Dirty Kanza. Sweet prizes from my sponsors! “A friend told me it was about 200 miles from Richmond to Portland. No part of our articles may be reprinted or repurposed without explicit permission from the publisher. My dad suffered a stroke in 2003 and this ride raises funds for the Krempels Center. Later that spring, Ted worked with gravel guru Joe Cruz, of Pownal, Vt. to map out a mostly gravel ride that would take him from the far northeast corner of the state, where Vermont rubs shoulders with New Hampshire and Quebec, to the southwest border with Massachusetts and New York—a 310-mile dirt and gravel ride with 35,000 vert. However, even as accomplished Vermonters, they, too, must follow the official quarantine rules as we all must to keep each other safe. All content on vtsports.com is copyright protected. Once he switched gears, he won the insanely difficult 200-mile Dirty Kanza in 2016 and 2018. You must enter below to join the competition to win.). He’s also led the pack at Rasputitsa, the Vermont Overland and the Vermont 50, among other races. For Laura, who has also been helping to host weekly webinar series, Girls Gone Gravel, the motivation has come from a different place. He’s also led the pack at Rasputitsa, the Vermont Overland and the Vermont 50, among other races. 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