2018 Dirty Kanza 200

Event Recap (Words by LeLan Dains, photos by Linda Guerrette): “We are happy to report that the 2018 Dirty Kanza was a great success and included the additions of a competitive High School class, as well as the DKXL, a 350 mile ‘extra large’ version, in addition to the 200, 100, 50 and 25 mile offerings. Nearly 2,700 riders were registered from 49 different states and 16 foreign countries across all events. Matt Acker of Grand Rapids, MI won the DKXL in a time of 25:10:02, while Ketchum, ID native, and Queen of Pain Rebecca Rusch, was the first female finisher in a time of 28:27:02. Ted King of Mill Valley, CA repeated his 2016 win in the DK200 this year and has now won the event twice in three attempts. Dirty Kanza and gravel rookie, Katie Keough from Colorado Springs, CO, won the overall women’s title. We are excited to see gravel being thrust into the limelight as we have known for quite some time that it is an amazing place to adventure by bike. We are also very clearly motivated to continually push our limits and explore more with the DKXL. We think gravel, especially here in the Flint Hills of Eastern KS, has an untold potential for bikepacking trips.”

The Dirty Kanza 200 will occur on Saturday, June 2, 2018 and will start in front of the historic Granada Theatre, 807 Commercial St., in downtown Emporia, Kansas. Participants will leave the starting line under police escort at 6:00 am.

Each rider will be responsible for printing out their own maps and cue sheets. These maps and cue sheets will guide the rider to each checkpoint along the route.  Upon arriving at a checkpoint, each rider is responsible for checking in. No one else can check in for a rider. Official Event Checkpoints are the only spots along the entire route where participants are allowed to meet their support crew to re-supply and fix equipment. As a general rule, checkpoints will occur every 50 to 70 miles along the route.
NOTE: This is an extremely remote area.  You will likely not pass through any towns, and therefore no convenience stores between checkpoints.  Always be aware of the distance to the next checkpoint, and be prepared to travel that distance with the supplies you carry.

Dirty Kanza 200 is not an event for entry-level cyclists. Participants are solely responsible for their personal well-being, will have to make their own informed decisions, and suffer the consequences of those decisions. Please be aware… if you break down or become injured, it is YOUR responsibility to contact your support crew to come get you. DO NOT CALL US. WE WILL NOT COME RESCUE YOU. EVENT PROMOTERS AND SPONSORS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. If you sign up for this event, make sure you have a support crew with a well thought out emergency back-up plan. If you do not feel you are prepared to meet such a challenge, please consider a shorter route option, which include 100-mile, 50-mile, and 25-mile options. All Dirty Kanza event participants, regardless of event distance, are required to have a Support Crew present.