Best described as “Easy on the eyes and hard on the legs,” unPAved Susquehanna River Valley is one of North America’s premier gravel fondos. It captivates riders with beautiful climbing and endless descending over a wide variety of old forest roads and idyllic country farm lanes.
Due to the pandemic, the 2020 event on 11 October in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania was limited to 200 riders with everyone choosing their own start time, rather than rolling out en masse.
Peak fall colors were on full display due to a recent frost with walnuts, poplars and birch bright yellow, sugar maples a pumpkin orange, and red maples, sassafras and huckleberry a brilliant scarlet red.
The 120-mile route with 10,000ft climbing offered KOM competition over four timed segments.
20 year-old Ben Wright from Massachusetts claimed the KOM trophy with a combined time of 2:09:00 and was also fastest to complete the 120-miles, finishing in 7:20:38.
Wearing the #1 bib, Kelley Catale, also from Massachusetts, earned the Women’s KOM title with a combined time of 2:27:32, but on the rest of the route she took time to savor fall views and completed the entire route in 9:26:06.
unPAved Susquehanna River Valley KOM results here.
unPAved Susquehanna River Valley overall times here.
GRAN FONDO DAILY NEWS 