Hall of Famers

While Amanda Nauman-Sheek may be best known as a professional gravel cyclist, her work to promote the positive aspects of gravel cycling has had a profound and lasting impact. On the bike, Nauman-Sheek is a two-time DK200/Unbound Gravel champion, and holds the distinction of winning one of the toughest editions of the event –– the infamous “mud year” in 2015. She’s also won or finished on the podium at countless other events, including Mid-South, Unbound XL and Belgian Waffle Ride California, among others.

Beyond her on-bike achievements, Nauman-Sheek is a recognized thought leader in gravel cycling. Her long-running podcast, Groadio, provides inspiration for aspiring cyclists, and insight on the sport’s toughest topics. Nauman-Sheek is also co-founder of Mammoth Tough, a challenging gravel event in Mammoth Lakes, CA. After three years of running the event on their own, Nauman-Sheek and her partner decided to make the event one of the first US-based UCI Gravel World Cup series events. The move showcases Nauman-Sheek’s desire to continually raise the bar and push the sport forward.

While the task of deciding exactly when or where the modern gravel era started, it’s clear that John Hobbs was an early visionary in the sport. As far back as the mid-1980s, Hobbs was hosting formal “rough road rides” in the southern Flint Hills of Kansas.

Buoyed by the rides’ success, Hobbs began promoting a ride out of Matfield, KS called the Matfield Green 100k. This evolved into the infamous Kansas Death Ride, an event that was known for being rougher than most mountain bike races. The event’s successful 22-year run, often attracting more than 600 riders, proved that cyclists wanted to explore beyond paved roads, onto roads less traveled. In fact, it was the success of the Kansas Death Ride that inspired a group in Emporia, KS to create the DK200/Unbound Gravel in 2005.

With a gravel resume stretching back to the earliest days of Unbound Gravel’s predecessor, the DK200, LeLan Dains has played a critical leadership role in the sport of gravel cycling. His tireless vision has helped Unbound Gravel grow into the world’s premier gravel event, and his work has been instrumental in putting Kansas gravel on the map as a top travel destination.

Dains also played a leadership role in the creation of the Great Plains Gravel Route, a more than 3,800-mile network of gravel roads and trails that enables cyclists to experience the rugged beauty of the Central Plains states. And as a founding member of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame, Dains continues to demonstrate his commitment to preserving the rich history and legacy of gravel cycling.

Widely credited as the first UCI World Tour road cycling competitor to cross over to the gravel cycling discipline, Ted King raised the bar for the professionalism required to win big gravel events. With palmares that include winning Unbound Gravel twice and victories at SBT Gravel, Grinduro, Rasputitsa, Vermont Overland, and UnPAved, among others, King is well-known as a fierce competitor.

What might be lesser known, but no less significant, is how King has given back to the gravel community. Through his genuine interactions with riders and racers of all abilities, King is a constant source of positivity and encouragement. He freely shares the lessons he’s learned on his YouTube channel and on his podcasts, and his humility, sincerity and professionalism serve as a strong example for aspiring cyclists to emulate.