Lauren De Crescenzo won the 2021 Unbound Gravel in convincing fashion, motoring across the line in 12:06:49 on a Colnago G3-X.
As in the men’s race, the 5-woman final podium reflected a mix of preferences in the ongoing ‘aero bars or no bars’ debate in gravel cycling. Amity Rockwell (2nd) and Shayna Powless (5th) raced without aero bars; De Crescenzo, Emily Newsom (3rd), and Whitney Allison (4th) raced with aero extensions.
Further, De Crescenzo spent ample time training on the set-up before hand.
Tom Danielson, De Crescenzo’s team manager and coach, said the whole team took Unbound Gravel seriously in terms of preparation and team execution.
“We didn’t just throw on aero bars the night before and hope for the best,” Danielson said. “We spent time making sure the fit was dialed and Lauren was comfortable and stable for long hours on gravel.”
Now based in Atlanta, De Crescenzo said much of her weekday training rides were done on the trainer. Her husband, Jim, just finished medical school and is getting ready to do his residence there. The couple was just married the week prior.
“This [Unbound Gravel] was our honeymoon,” De Crescenzo said with a laugh.
Check out the details on her Colnago G3-X below.
The Colnago G3-X has a fairly straightforward 71.5-degree head tube and 70mm of bottom bracket drop.
De Crescenzo spent time training with the aero bar set up. SRAM eTap levers have ports for remote shifters that can be put at the end of aero extensions, or basically anywhere a rider likes.
SRAM’s Force and Red cranksets can be bought with integrated Quarq power meters.
While Colnago may not be a commonly seen brand in American gravel racing, De Crescenzo’s Maxxis tires (40mm Ramblers) certainly are.
The G3-X has top tube mounts, but De Crescenzo choose not to use them.