Tour of Utah 2013 Teams Announced

The Tour of Utah has announced the 16 teams that will be competing in this year's race. This year there are 5 UCI PRO teams, 3 UCI PRO Continental teams, and 8 UCI Continental teams.

UCI PRO Teams:

• BMC Racing Team (USA), No.8 on UCI WorldTour
• Cannondale Pro Cyling (Italy), No. 13 on UCI WorldTour
• Orica-GreenEDGE Cycling Team (Australia), No. 14 on UCI WorldTour
• RADIOSHACK LEOPARD TREK (Luxembourg), No. 7 on UCI WorldTour
• Team Garmin-Sharp (USA), No. 5 on UCI WorldTour

 UCI PRO Continental Teams:

• Champion System Pro Cycling Team (China), No. 7 on USAC NRC; No. 8 on UCI Oceania Tour
• MTN-Qhubeka (South Africa), No. 1 on UCI Africa Tour; No. 6 on UCI Asia Tour
• UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team* (USA), No. 5 on UCI America Tour; No. 4 on USAC NRC

 UCI Continental Teams:

• 5-hour ENERGY® presented by Kenda Racing Team* (USA), No. 2 on USAC NRC; No. 8 on UCI America Tour
• BISSELL Cycling (USA), No. 6 on USAC NRC; No. 4 on UCI Oceania Tour
• Bontrager Cycling Team* (USA), No. 10 on USAC NRC; No. 5 on UCI Oceania Tour
• Funvic Brasilinvest-São José dos Campos (Brazil),No.1 on UCI America Tour
• Hincapie Sportswear Development Team* (USA), No. 5 on USAC NRC
• Jamis - Hagens Berman* (USA), No. 3 on USAC NRC; No. 5 on UCI America Tour
• Jelly Belly Cycling Team presented by Kenda* (USA), No. 7 on USAC NRC
• Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA), No. 1 on USAC NRC; No. 9 on UCI America Tour

The teams have not announced their rosters for the Tour of Utah yet, but we can hope to see some of the favorites returning, and maybe some other big name PRO riders who haven't been to Utah yet.

 

For more updates, go to www.tourofutah.com

 

 

Tour of Utah 2013 Host Cities Announced

This year, the Tour of Utah will truly be a tour of Utah - not just the Wasatch front.

The announcement of the host cities happened earlier today, in Cedar City - which led to speculation that at least one of the stages would happen south of Provo. Well, it turns out that speculation is indeed correct.

From the Tour of Utah's website: 

The Overall Start on Tuesday, August 6 makes its debut at Brian Head, the highest resort town in the U.S. A premier winter destination in southwest Utah, Brian Head is surrounded by the alpine forests of the Markagunt Plateau, including the Dixie National Forest to the east and Cedar Breaks National Monument to the south. Brian Head is also the third highest incorporated community in the nation with a base elevation of 9,800 feet.

Cedar City, known as "Festival City, USA", is a vibrant community 45 minutes to the west of Brian Head Resort. It is located on Interstate 15 approximately 250 miles south of Salt Lake City. Cedar City is the home to Southern Utah University and the Utah Shakespeare Festival, which gave the city its nickname and earned the regional theatre a Tony Award (2000). In addition to hosting the stage finish for Stage One, Cedar City will also present the Team Presentation Event on Monday, August 5.

Stage Two will begin in Panguitch, just northwest of the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park. It is part of the National Historic District and the county seat of beautiful Garfield County. The small agricultural community, named for the Paiute Indian word for "big fish", sits in a valley with rivers and lakes that is bordered by the Dixie National Forest. The official start line on Wednesday sits at 6,600 feet above sea level. Stage Two's finish will be hosted by Torrey, a small community situated in the heart of red canyon country in the shadows of 11,000-foot Thousand Lake Mountain. It is just 10 miles west from the unique geologic formations at Capitol Reef National Park. Torrey Town is best recognized by the 100-year-old cottonwood trees that canopy Highway 24 in the center of town.

Stage Three will bridge the central region of Utah in Richfield with Payson in the Utah Valley to the north. Richfield is the largest city in south-central Utah, nestled in the high desert of Sevier County. This mile-high city marks the midway point in mileage between Cedar City and Salt Lake City. Surrounded by the beauty of the Fishlake National Forest, Richfield is an outdoor recreation heaven. The Stage Three finish will take the Tour to the south side of Utah Lake, where Payson rests in the shadows of the Wasatch Front. The scenery in Payson has made this a popular location for the film industry, as it was the location for “Footloose” and the television series Touched by an Angel. The Tour has passed through this section of the Provo-Orem metropolitan area in previous years, but this is the first time it has hosted a stage finish.

Salt Lake City will return for a sixth year as the host city for Stage Four of the Tour. This Friday contest will feature a popular multi-lap circuit that will begin and end near the state Capitol. Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has declared 2013 as "Year of the Bike" and hosting a circuit race, similar to the challenging 80-mile route from 2011, is one of many planned events. Expanding and improving the "bikeability" of Salt Lake City is just one of the major aspects of Mayor Becker's Livability Agenda, a plan aimed at keeping Salt Lake City one of the best places to live, eat, work, play and do business. Last year Salt Lake City hosted two stage finish lines.

Saturday's affair is known as the "Queen Stage", which is the grand day in the mountains for the climbers. Snowbasin Resort debuts to host the new start for Stage Five on August 10. During the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Snowbasin gained attention as the host men's and women's Downhill, Super G, Combined and Paralympic ski events. As a warm-weather mountain sports venue just 20 minutes east of Ogden, Snowbasin offers mountain-top dining and many miles of scenic biking and hiking trails. The summit of Mount Allen reaches an altitude of 9,366 feet, while the base elevation of Snowbasin is 6,450 feet.

Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort returns as the official finish host venue for Stage Five for a sixth year. Well known for its steep freeskiing terrain and abundant powder in the winter season, Snowbird is a cool air mountain haven in the summertime. The final ascent up the narrow and steep section of Little Cottonwood Canyon has become a popular outdoor amphitheater for spectators. This signature climb for "America's Toughest Stage Race" provides close to 3000 feet of elevation gain over 6.5 miles (9.2% average gradient).

Also new for 2013 will be the route for The Ultimate Challenge, a recreational bicycle ride for amateurs held the same day as Stage Five of the Tour of Utah. Snowbasin Resort will host the start of The Ultimate Challenge, beginning several hours prior to the start of the pro race. Amateurs will have several ride options that day, with the century riders finishing at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort. Last year 604 amateur cyclists took part in The Ultimate Challenge.

Stage Six will return to Park City on Sunday, August 11, the second consecutive year for the Stage Start and Overall Finish in this year-round resort town. Park City is home to three year-round resorts with the Wasatch Mountains rising to over 10,000 feet. A challenging stage race will be similar to 2012, with a final epic climb over Empire Pass. Expect huge crowds to pack Historic Main Street and see the champion crowned for the 2013 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah for the grand finale.

The race this will travel in a general south to north drection, starting at Cedar City on August 6th, and finishing in Park City on the 11th.

Notably absent this year is the time trial out at Miller Motorsports Park, but making a return is a circuit race in Salt Lake City.

The Queen stage - which traditionally ran from Park City to Snowbird - will also be getting a route change, starting in Ogden at Snowbasin and finishing at Snowbird.

This sounds like it is going to be a fantastic and scenic race! I can't wait to see what the routes will be.

New Route for the Tour of Utah?

Since the Tour of Utah was started, it has been a fixture of the Wasatch front here in Utah, not venturing any farther south than Provo.

This year, that may change.

There has been no official announcement yet - the Host Cities announcement doesn't take place until February 5th - but their choice of locations to have the announcement is particularly telling.

The announcement will take place in Cedar City.

I know that they have been talking about going south for several years, is this an indication that all that talk is about to become action?

Let's hope so!

Who will ride away with the whiskey this year?

Tour of Utah - Stages 4 and 5

I'm posting pictures from Stages 4 and 5 together for a couple of reasons. 

First, I had to work at the day job on Friday the 10th, and wasn't able to see the stage in person. Thanks to a very dear friend, who I convinced to go out and watch the race as it passed not too far from her house, I have some pictures of stage 4.

Then, on Saturday, my older two kids were coming back from camp, and I had to be home when they got there. So, I wasn't able to see the finish. But, I was able to catch the first KOM, and the feed zone.

Stage 4:

Friday's stage passed within a few miles of my house.

The peleton took to the newly finished Mountain View Corridor on their journey from Utah County to Salt Lake City. Thanks, Valerie, for trudging through the weeds to take some pictures for me!

 Stage 5:

Once again, It was a great race, and I am extremely thankful to the powers-that-be for granting me access and allowing me to take the time to cover the Tour of Utah. 

Tour of Utah - Stage 3

For stage 3, I once again had the opportunity to ride in a team car. This year, it was the Bissell Pro Cycling Team that had an open seat, and agreed to let me tag along with them.

Autograph alley

 

Waiting for the start of today's stage

One of the Bissell riders studying the route sheet for the stage.

My ride for the day.

Sometimes, if a rider has a mechanical problem, the team mechanic will fix it while they are still rolling.

August 8th was Axel Merckx's (Eddy's son, and Director Sportif of the Bontrager Livestrong Development Team) 40th birthday. They announced it over the race radio, and we had to pull up to his car and wish him a happy birthday. 

A huge thank you to Bissell Pro Cycling, the DS, Omer Kem, their mechanic, Bill, and the rest of the team for letting me ride along with them for the stage. 

Tour of Utah - Stage 6

My apologies for the lack of Tour of Utah coverage the past few days. Life, and the day job prevented me from attending one of the stages, and delayed my posting of pictures from the other stages. 

Since the tour is over, I figured that I would catch up by posting Stage 6 results and photos now, and then just post the photos for the other stages - since it really doesn't matter at this point who was wearing the different jerseys at the end of those stages. 

So, here is the final GC standings, and the other classifications. 

Levi Leipheimer put in a massive effort to win stage 6 by breaking away at the last KOM and soloing for the stage win, reducing his time by a full minute. Unfortunately, he still ended up over a minute down from the top spot, which was won by Johann Tschopp with BMC.

Stage 6:

1. LEIPHEIMER Levi Omega Pharma-QuickStep OPQ 3.06'54" 10"

2. KRUIJSWIJK Steven Rabobank Cycling Team RAB 3.07'43" 49" 6"

3. KOENIG Leopold Team NetApp APP 3.07'43" ... 4"

4. TSCHOPP Johann BMC Racing Team BMC 3.07'43" ...

5. DANIELSON Thomas Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda GRS 3.07'43" ...

6. DOMBROWSKI Joseph Lloyd * Bontrager Livestrong Team BLS 3.07'43" ...

7. BUSCHE Matthew Radioshack-Nissan-Trek RNT 3.07'43" ...

8. BOSWELL Ian * Bontrager Livestrong Team BLS 3.07'43" ...

9. EUSER Lucas Team Spidertech p/b C10 SPI 3.07'43" ...

10. HORNER Christopher Radioshack-Nissan-Trek RNT 3.07'43" ...

GC:

1. TSCHOPP Johann BMC Racing Team BMC 21.26'32"
2. BUSCHE Matthew Radioshack-Nissan-Trek RNT 21.27'15" (43" back)
3. KOENIG Leopold Team NetApp APP 21.27'21" (49" back)
4. DOMBROWSKI Joseph Lloyd * Bontrager Livestrong Team BLS 21.27'30" (58" back)
5. BOSWELL Ian * Bontrager Livestrong Team BLS 21.27'35" (1'03" back)
6. LEIPHEIMER Levi Omega Pharma-QuickStep OPQ 21.27'40" (1'08" back)
7. HORNER Christopher Radioshack-Nissan-Trek RNT 21.27'51" (1'19" back)
8. EUSER Lucas Team Spidertech p/b C10 SPI 21.27'53" (1'21" back)
9. KRUIJSWIJK Steven Rabobank Cycling Team RAB 21.28'01" (1'29" back)
10. FRANK Mathias BMC Racing Team BMC 21.28'03" (1'31 back)

Best Utah Rider - final:

1. LOUDER Jeffry UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team UHC 21.58'20"

2. MUMFORD Reid Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies OPT 22.31'20" 33'00"

Best Young Rider - final:

1. DOMBROWSKI Joseph Lloyd Bontrager Livestrong Team BLS 21.27'30"

2. BOSWELL Ian Bontrager Livestrong Team BLS 21.27'35" 5"

KOM - final:

1. JACQUES-MAYNES Ben Bissell Pro Cycling BPC 38

2. EUSER Lucas Team Spidertech p/b C10 SPI 31

3. DUGGAN Timothy Liquigas-Cannondale LIQ 31

Sprint - final:

1. MATTHEWS Michael  Rabobank Cycling Team RAB 42

2. SUTHERLAND Rory UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team UHC 25

Most Agressive Rider - Stage 6:

SUTHERLAND Rory UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team UHC 25

Teams:

1. Radioshack-Nissan-Trek RNT 33 (7.), 31 (10.), 32 (15.) 9.25'27"

2. Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda GRS 11 (5.), 15 (13.), 16 (14.) 9.27'18" 1'51"

3. Bontrager Livestrong Team BLS 154 (6.), 152 (8.), 155 (28.) 9.28'20" 2'53"

4. BMC Racing Team BMC 25 (4.), 22 (11.), 21 (25.) 9.28'27" 3'00"

5. Rabobank Cycling Team RAB 43 (2.), 47 (23.), 41 (27.) 9.32'23" 6'56"

6. EPM-UNE EPM 163 (16.), 166 (19.), 167 (20.) 9.32'32" 7'05"

7. Team NetApp APP 72 (3.), 71 (24.), 77 (31.) 9.32'54" 7'27"

8. UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team UHC 91 (12.), 96 (32.), 97 (42.) 9.40'20" 14'53"

9. Competitive Cyclist Racing Team RCC 121 (21.), 124 (33.), 127 (37.) 9.40'22" 14'55"

10. Omega Pharma-QuickStep OPQ 1 (1.), 3 (39.), 5 (51.) 9.42'09" 16'42"

And, the pictures:

While checking out sight lines for this picture, I stepped in an anthill. Good times!

Due to technical difficulties (read: operator error), I was unable to get a good picture of Levi crossing the finish. 

The crowds on main street were great! They even decorated the final meters to the finish.

Best young rider, Joe Dombrowski, getting his kiss from the podium girls. Someone yelled out asking if that was his first kiss - because of how young he looks - which caused one of the podium girls to laugh. 

Yes, I went home sticky and smelling of champagne.

Even the photographers want to get some time with the podium girls.

Levi riding away with his bottle of whiskey from High West Distillery that he was presented for the stage win.