Cameron Jones - Unbound Gravel 2025 Champion

Cameron Jones won the 2025 edition of the 205-mile Unbound Gravel, the most competitive edition ever of the most prestigious gravel race on the planet. Three months earlier, he showed up in America, walked into a used car dealership in the Bay Area, walked off the lot with a used Honda Odyssey and a dream to make this his best season ever.   But these aren't the most interesting parts of his story. Cameron has done stints in the forestry industry and in his teens back in New Zealand was an elite mutli-sport athlete who knocked the arm warmers off the best athletes in New Zealand in the Coast to Coast, a race that combines running, cycling and kayaking to travel across New Zealand.  Cameron is from a tight family and I wanted to know more about who he is and how he came from seemingly out of nowhere to pull off a win people will be talking about for years to come.  I enjoyed getting to know him and I'd love to hear your thoughts about what he shares, DM me @hardwaypod on Instagram and let me know what you think.  The number one way to support Choose the Hard Way is to become a paid subscriber to my substack, alwaysthehardway.substack.com. That's where I share my reflections on these interviews and write about engaged mindfulness, bikes and life.  At One Real Voice, I coach leaders 1:1 to help them thrive as storytellers and stand out in the long-form podcast conversations where real influence is built.  If you have a podcast or are starting one, I also provide strategic guidance to set yourself up to win from the beginning and keep on winning with every episode.  When you're ready to be great, DM me @hardwaypod or email [email protected]. Wherever you're listening to this podcast, please subscribe and do humanity a favor when you hit 5 stars.  Crypto curious? With over $1 trillion in transactions to date, Blockchain.com is your trusted partner on your crypto journey. Create your free wallet and get up to 10% in annual rewards by putting your crypto to work. Go to Blockchain.com to get started today, no experience required. Lauf is the Apple of bike design and they make elegant products that just work better than everything else. Follow my subtack and @hardwaypod on instagram to meet up with me at gravel events like Overland and to see what adventures I tackle on my Lauf bikes in 2025. Check them out at www.laufcycles.com.  This podcast is also brought to you by my best-in-class partners at Palm Tree Pod Co. They're a full-service podcast studio with end-to-end services to help any brand, business or individual take a strategic approach and standout. Find them at www.palmtreepodco.com