Cecily Decker crossed the finish line at the 2025 Unbound Gravel 200 in Emporia, Kansas, lungs burning and legs screaming, but with a wide smile. She had just sprinted to second place, her best results yet in gravel’s crown jewel, outpacing former champion Sofia Gomez Villafañe (Specialized) and finishing behind her PAS Racing teammate, Karolina Migón.
It was a hard-fought and emotional day that showcased not just Decker’s grit but her growing stature in the gravel world. Decker’s time of 10:12:29 over 200 miles—at an average speed of 19.84 mph— to secure second place marks a major career milestone for the Santa Fe-based racer, especially after a tumultuous 2024 season marked by mechanicals and bad luck.
