Cameron Jones: The Kiwi Who Conquered Unbound and the Life Time Grand Prix.
- James Ion
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Words by James Ion - Photography provided by Cameron Jones
I met with Cameron Jones, dialling in from his girlfriend’s apartment in Virginia, fresh from an early gym session—a rare horizon for him at this hour. His voice carried that laid-back New Zealand calm, underscored by a quiet confidence one would expect after navigating the tricky terrain of 2025, a year where he not only won but emerged as a genuine force in off-road racing.
Camerone Jones’s breakout season culminated with clinching the prestigious Lifetime Grand Prix title, and the Kiwi truly asserted his presence by winning Unbound, two achievements that cemented his arrival on the big stage. Yet, his approach this past year was never about chasing glory from the outset. “I didn’t really go into it with the goal of winning the whole thing. It was just my first full year racing professionally, so it was about solidifying my career and doing well enough to keep doing this for years,” he explained. It was a quiet revolution of proof, driven by grit more than grandiosity.
His story began not on gravel but on the fast-shifting, fiercely competitive terrain of cross-country mountain biking. From under-15 national races, through multiple World Championships at junior and under-23 levels, Jones’s early years sculpted his tactical and physical foundation. “I was chasing the XCO World Cup and Olympic pathway for a long time,” he reflected. Yet, a tough under-23 year marked by illness, visa complications, a lost bike before World Championships, and a brief stay in a detention centre (due to his visa issues, nothing naughty - Ed) shifted his trajectory.
Instead of shying away, this crucible brewed a new ambition. He gravitated toward the growing gravel scene, drawn not just by competition but by its newfound freedom. “The day after [XCO] races, we’d explore and ride trails instead of doing the same loop over and over,” he recalled fondly. This style suited where he was at and encouraged him to go for the trail less travelled and jump into Gravel racing.
Returning home to New Zealand in late 2022, Jones embraced gravel and longer off-road races with open arms, immediately winning the National Gravel Championship and placing second in the MTB Marathon National Championships. Wanting to “try” longer off-road events, he travelled to Canada, got himself a U-Haul Van and toured around North America. “I did a five-week trip around British Columbia, living out of a van, racing gravel and stage races, really getting a taste of international off-road racing. That’s when it clicked — I wanted to test myself against the best in the US Grand Prix scene,” he said.
2024, by his own admission, was a test phase. He made mistakes and learned a lot, but he paid for it in the end, missing out on direct selection to the Life Time Grand Prix. He may have felt good in his legs, but his results on paper showed a different story. But luckily for Jones, 2025 was the first year of the Wild Card system.
Wild Card System Explained:
The Life Time Grand Prix Wild Card system offers a pathway for talented riders who were not initially selected for the main roster to earn a spot through racing results. After the opening events—specifically the Sea Otter Classic Gravel and Life Time UNBOUND Gravel—six wild card spots (three men and three women) are awarded based on riders' performances in these races. To be eligible, riders must have applied for the series and competed in both of those events. Their results are scored separately against other wild card contenders, and the top finishers gain entry into the Life Time Grand Prix. This system allows late bloomers to break into the series based on current form and success, keeping the competition dynamic and open to rising talent beyond the initially invited athletes. Additional spots may open if any original Grand Prix athletes drop out, further expanding opportunities through the wild card pool. This approach balances invitation selection with meritocratic entry through performance on race day.
2025 was different—and in that difference lay his success. For one, funding had tightened up. Previously, he had juggled summer internships and student loans to keep racing before finally graduating in engineering, which allowed him to focus full-time on cycling. “I made a conscious decision to invest some savings to not work as much so I could train and recover better. It paid off with results and a contract from Scott, which made this year my first as a professional,” Cameron explained. This delicate balance of hard work and smart work was pivotal.
After finishing 12th at Sea Otter, he was still in the hunt for a Wild Card spot. He just needed a good result at Unbound to ensure he was going to be part of the Grand Prix.
To make extra sure, he went and won it!
Winning Unbound, a race infamous for its gruelling conditions and unpredictable tactics, was as much a mental victory as a physical one. “I’d raced it before, so I knew going off the front early might work. We stayed away, and even if caught, we’d be fresher than the bunch because the peloton is like surgery with an inconsistent pace. That rhythm saved my legs and left me clear for a sprint, which I’ve been working on this year,” he said. His sprinting prowess came as a surprise to many, carving a niche in what’s traditionally been a breakaway-dominated sport.
In typical Kiwi fashion, he explained he wasn't even near the podium when they brought up the Grand Prix riders. Despite him winning and thus qualifying, he was not “officially” part of the series yet. “I wasn't officially in the series, because they hadn't done the math or something yet, which is okay, because I was down at a restaurant having a burger when the prize giving was on.”
His affable nature may present as being very easy-going, but that hides his competitive side, which he put to good use across the rest of the series. He gained another win at Little Sugar MTB before putting those sprint skills to good work, gassing the pack to get 5th place at Big Sugar Gravel and enough points to win the Grand Prix by six points.
From Wild Card hopeful to Grand Prix Champion is some story, but it's only the first chapter.
His victories have opened doors on and off the bike. Sponsorship deals are flowing in, the most notable being with Kenetik, the bioidentical ketone drink brand, a partnership that speaks to his focus on recovery and performance beyond just training hours. “Kenetik helps me improve recovery and efficiency without just piling on more hours,” Jones noted. Alongside his steady partnership with Scott and Shimano, he’s keen to experiment with aerodynamics and nutrition, embracing science as part of his rigorous routine.
Yet Cameron remains unmistakably Kiwi—laid back, humble, and grounded. “I’m still amazed by how quickly last year’s non-selection fueled my fire. It was a reminder I had to prove myself not just to selectors, but to myself and others,” he shared. This unassuming determination shines through when he talks about the logistics and challenges off the bike, from visa uncertainties to relentless cross-country driving schedules, all challenges he meets with a mix of pragmatism and quiet humour.
Looking ahead to 2026, Jones’s ambition is clear: defend the Grand Prix title and continue raising the bar. He’s eyeing international gravel races in Australia and Europe, eager to represent abroad. “A win at Unbound again would be huge, to silence rumours (There was some, unfounded, suggestion that Jones and Pellaud used the camera bike to their advantage -Ed) and prove the effort wasn’t a fluke,” he said with a wink. He’s also mixing in road racing and new challenges—the kind of eclectic adventure that defines his career.
In all, Cameron Jones is more than just a rising star or a newly crowned champion. He represents the heart of gravel racing today—a blend of raw talent and relentless work ethic, only helped by that unmistakable easygoing Kiwi spirit.
As the autumn day brightens in Virginia, I wrap up our conversation, feeling that gravel racing’s future is being shaped by riders like him, quietly but surely rewriting the script for what it means to chase your passion on two wheels.
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