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High Uintas Looks at Alternate Course Due to Snow

Cycling West
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By Paul Knopf and DuWayne Jacobsen

June 2011 – Race planners for the 23rd annual Cook Sanders Associates, Inc. and The Spence Law Firm High Uintas Classic Stage Race have established the best possible option for the Bald Mountain road race stage should Bald Mountain Pass be closed on Saturday, June 18th because of snow.

The Uinta Mountains have experienced record snowfall during this past winter season. There is a reasonable chance that Bald Mountain Pass, elevation 10,700 feet, might be impassable on June 18th. In the 23 year storied history of the High Uintas Classic, Bald Mountain Pass was impassable only once in 1995.

Should the Pass be closed on June 18th, a new course could await competitors in the first stage of the High Uintas Classic. The road race stage would start in Evanston at the Wyoming State Hospital. The start time would be moved back to 10 a.m. to allow competitors time to travel to Evanston on Saturday morning.

Competitors would race south along the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway to the snow line on the North Slope of the Uinta Mountains. This would be a rare opportunity for racers to climb up what they normally hammer down. After turning around at the snow line, racers would finish at the same locations as in previous years at Christmas Meadows or the Wyoming State Hospital.

For more information about the High Uintas Classic and timely updates about snow conditions, please visit www.evanstoncycling.org.

Booth and Howat Win Bear Lake Classic

Cycling West
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Booth and Howat Win Bear Lake Classic
FFKR Time-trial Team
The SportsbaseOnline.com/FFKR Team in Sunday’s Team Time
Trial. Photo: Cotton Sox Photography.

By Ryan Barrett

June 2011 – In a repeat of the previous weeks’ state criterium championships, Michael Booth and Laura Howat (both Ski Utah-MarketStar) won the Bear Lake Classic Road Race. Held on May 14th under warm and sunny skies, the primary difficulty in the event was the wind. The Pro 1-2 men rode two laps around the lake, totaling just over 100 miles. The race was aggressive from the start with the author (Ski Utah-MarketStar) and Darren Goff (Chick-Fil-A/The Bike Shoppe) forming the early breakaway in the first few miles. The gruesome twosome were able to pull out a maximum advantage of less than three minutes; not nearly enough for two riders to stay away given the flat and windy course. And so it was, with about thirty miles to go, they were brought back into the fold.

The field split through the crosswind section at the north end of the course, only to come back together. From this point on, the race was extremely aggressive with attacks going constantly. The final group of six came into the finish, with Booth able to take the sprint in front of Chase Pinkham (Bissell Pro Cycling) and junior TJ Eisenhart (FFKR).

The Pro 1-3 Women completed one lap of the 50-mile course, and also came down to a six-rider break. Howat was able to use her sprint prowess to best Amy Frykman (GAS/Intrisik) and Megan Hill (Porcupine).

Bear Lake USAC Category 3
The Cat 3 men’s field. Photo: Ben Koefed

The Bear Lake Classic remains a full weekend of racing, with Friday nights’ hillclimb time trial won by Pinkham and Howat, respectively in the men’s and women’s pro events. Sunday featured a 50-mile team time trial won by Ski Utah-MarketStar in the men’s pro event and Revolution Café Rio in the women’s open division.

 

Evans Tops in Sugarhouse Criterium

Cycling West
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Evans Tops in Sugarhouse Criterium
Nicole Evans
Nicole Evans (Primal/MapMyRide) won the women’s race with a final
lap surge. Photo: Christopher See.

By Christopher See

June 2011 – This year, the Sugarhouse Criterium, held on May 21, offered something new. Organizer Marek Shon of Cyclesmith opted to run the event clockwise around Sugarhouse Park. Clockwise meant the north side of the course along 21st South became a long false flat. The start/finish area was relocated to the northwest end of the course to use the short steep ramp out of the lake drainage to animate the finish. The weather cooperated and the race was run under sunshine and blue skies. A welcome change from the never-ending winter of 2011.

Fourteen women pro/1/2/3 riders lined up for a forty-five minute romp around the park. Two members of the North American pro circuit, Nichole Evans (Primal/Map My Ride) and teammate Nicky Wangsgard took the start with Utah regulars including Chantal Thackeray Olsen (Primal Utah), Laura Howat (Ski Utah/Marketstar).

Chantel Thackery Olsen, Laura Howat
Chantel Thackeray Olsen leading Laura Howat. Photo: Christopher See.

Ski Utah set the tone with an early flyer from Alison Frye. She was brought back by a peloton animated by the presence a strong Primal Utah team. Evans went next to take measure of the group. Well known in the local race community as the woman to mark, Evans was joined by Kristen Kotval of Primal Utah. A series of attacks and counters by Wangsgard and a motivated pack negated their bid for freedom. The net result ended up gruppo compatto.

Dulce Altabella Lazzi (Contender) went next. Her move triggered a series of attacks, from which the eventual wining break would form. When the flurry ended Olsen, Howat and a third rider would remain clear. Coming around to the start area, Evans launched at the sharp ramp to the line. She latched onto the three escapees and attacked testing their commitment. Olsen and Howat were able to answer.

With four to go Evans, Olsen and Howat worked to setup the finale. With the three strongest teams represented, the break would succeed. For three laps the trio worked together. On the final lap Evans attacked a final time, and went free to claim a solo win. Thirty seconds back, Olsen and Howat sprinted for second with Howat claiming the placing. A minute and thirty seconds later the field sprint for fourth went to Utah newcomer Kat Carr riding in Vanderkitten livery.

The men’s pro/1/2 race was cancelled due to an unfortunate crash.

Tour of Utah To Show on Fox Sports Network Locally and Nationally

Cycling West
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June 2011 – Organizers of the 2011 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah announced that the August 9-14 professional bicycle race will receive regional and national broadcast television coverage for all six days of the event. This is the first time in the event’s seven-year history that broadcast television and online programming have been activated for a national and worldwide fan base.

FOX Sports Network (FSN) will be the national broadcast partner. ROOT Sports will broadcast regionally in the Rocky Mountain area. And the local broadcast affiliate will be KJZZ TV for Salt Lake City, Utah. All broadcast partners will air a one-hour recap show of the professional bicycle race each evening August 9-13, and a two-hour feature and highlight show following the final stage on Sunday August 14.

Both FOX Sports Network and ROOT Sports plan to air nightly recap shows during race week at 11 p.m. (check local listings to confirm air times). FSN reaches 85+ million homes via its 18 regional sports network affiliates in the U.S., including ROOT Sports. ROOT Sports Rocky Mountain region is based in Denver and is the cable home of the Utah Jazz and Colorado Rockies.

KJZZ TV, an independent broadcast television station based in Salt Lake City, serves households across the entire state of Utah, as well as parts of five other western states. The station has announced it will air the weeknight and Saturday recap show at 9 p.m. mountain time, and the two-hour Sunday show from 9-11 p.m. mountain time.

“Regional and national coverage with ROOT Sports and Fox Sports Network is perfect for the Tour of Utah, which has such a vast fan base across the country already because of the pro teams and top UCI Continental teams competing this August,” stated Steve Miller, president of Utah Cycling Partnership (UCP) which owns the Tour of Utah. ”It’s a pleasure to work with a dedicated media partner in Utah such as KJZZ TV. We plan to incorporate pre-race promotional spots to generate a local buzz for the event.”

Windfall Productions will edit four to five hours of daily video footage for each nightly one to two hour show. Multiple camera operators will utilize creative resources, such as motorcycles, helicopters and roof tops, throughout the week to capture the excitement and competitive tactics of the 120 professional cyclists racing over more than 400 miles of scenic roadways in Utah.

Live web casting will be provided by UCP via the official event web site, www.tourofutah.com. Social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, will continue to be used to engage cycling fans in advance of the event and during race week.

Howat and Booth Crowned Utah State Criterium Champions

Cycling West
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Howat and Booth Crowned Utah State Criterium Champions
Laura Howat
Laura Howat (4th in line) won the Women’s Cat 1-3 State Crit Championship. Photo: Cotton Sox photography.

By Ryan Barrett

June 2011 – It was a banner day for the host team Ski Utah-MarketStar at the Derek Leyde Memorial Downtown Criterium with team members Michael Booth and Laura Howat winning the Men Pro 1-2 and Women Pro 1-3 events, respectively. The race, which was the Utah State Criterium Championships was held on a beautiful May day and featured four corners around Pioneer Park in downtown Salt Lake City.

The women’s 60 minute event started aggressively. The break of the day came out of a prime sprint with Laura Howat and Laura Patten (both Ski Utah-MarketStar) and Chantel Thackeray-Olsen and Kirsten Kotval (both Primal Utah). These four were kept honest with the field never far behind. On the final lap, it was Patten leading out Howat down the backstretch. Howat was able to take a clean sprint in front of Kotval and Olsen.

The Pro 1-2 men’s event was equally aggressive with all the best local teams and racers ready to fight for the title of state champ. About 1/3 of the way into the 90 minute event, Booth took off solo and was quickly marked by Chase Pinkham (Bissell Pro Cycling). Next to make it across was Mike Wilcox (FFKR) and Eric Pardyjak (Canyon Bicycles). Ryan Littlefield (Contender Bicycles) was the last to make contact and they were off. The field, led primarily by the Revolution Mountain Sports team attempted a chase, but the talent off the front would be hard to catch and the breakaway lapped the field with about 15 minutes remaining. The last few laps became more and more tense and the final lap featured multiple crashes (including the author!). Pinkham led the sprint out of the 3rd turn and Booth turned on the afterburners heading into the final turn to take a comfortable win in front of Pinkham and Wilcox.

Guardian Angels

David Ward
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Guardian Angels

June 2011 – Guardian angels. That must be it. Jon Smith, promoter of the Cycle Salt Lake Century Ride (CSLC), has to be the most fortunate promoter around. His event has not had bad weather for as long as I can remember. Jon says it has been 15 years, and that each year he sells another small piece of his soul to insure a good day for us riders.

Salt Lake Century Ride
A view from the road at the Cycle Salt Lake Century. Photo: Dave Iltis

So it was that this year, the most beautiful day of this elusive spring, sandwiched between a seemingly endless string of rainy days, also happened to be the day of the CSLC. 0ver 2000 of us showed up, hungry to soak up the sunshine while putting some good miles on our bikes.

For many of us, the CSLC is our first major ride of the year, and the event that motivates us to get going. It is also a time to meet, greet and hook up with old cycling buddies. This was especially true for me this year. In December, my wife and I purchased a new home, or rather an old home in serious need of attention. As our home of 30 years had not yet sold, we were content to stay there while working on our project home.

But by the end of January, the project was demanding more of our time, some of which we had been devoting to our spin class. And then, at the beginning of March, our home went under contract, and we only had a month till we had to move. Our immediate focus, and big push, was to sufficiently finish the basement so we would have a place to which we could move.

So that is how it happened that the last time I rode a bike of any kind for nearly three months was on February 3rd . It was not until the third week of April, when we made a trip to visit two of our children living out of state, that I finally sat my hiney down on a bike. And while it may have disagreed, the rest of me, physically and emotionally, was grateful.

Indeed, this was the first time, since I took up cycling as a regular hobby, that I had missed more than a couple of weeks on a bike, and even that was rare. And as I have finally been getting back in the saddle more regularly, I have realized how important cycling has become to me, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

So the CSLC was especially welcome this year. Not just to get me going for the cycling season, but to pull me out of a funk I had fallen into after three months of not riding. I began looking for opportunities to ride, squeezing miles in between the onslaught of storms and the accompanying rain and snow, to prepare for the CSLC.

By the time the CSLC was here, I had still not logged enough miles to take on a full century. But I did get in 75 miles, and it felt good. I rode with good friends, and was able to visit with old cycling pals. My mind, body and soul are rejuvenated. And I have the CSLC to thank for getting me back in the groove.

Thanks Jon for a great ride. And thanks to your guardian angels, and the little bit of soul you surrendered, for this year’s rare and wonderful weather.

UDOT and DPS to Sponsor Road Respect Share the Road Campaign

Tara McKee
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By Tara McKee

June 2011 – Cycling is becoming more popular than ever and the most popular road cycling routes in the state are becoming positively crowded with cyclists. It’s a good news-bad news scenario. It’s awesome that there are so many cyclists out on the road and you can presume that people who ride their bikes on weekends will be more sympathetic to the cyclists they encounter on weekdays when they are driving.

The bad news is that there are likely to be some cyclist/motorist problems. New cyclists are less familiar with the rules of the road and with crowds of cyclists on the roads; the temptation is to ride multiple abreast, instead of single file. Motorists don’t always know the rules either and there are still a few who think that cyclists belong on the sidewalk. Sadly, there is also a tendency for motorists or cyclists to dehumanize the other and on occasion, that can lead to conflict.

It’s time for both cyclists and motorists to learn to peacefully coexist out on Utah’s roads. Mutual respect and learning to follow the rules of the road will go a long way toward making it safer for cyclists to ride the streets. With that goal and message in mind, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), Utah Highway Safety and Zero Fatalities have teamed up to launch a Road Respect Campaign and Tour. The theme will be: Road Respect, Rules to Live By, Cars + Bikes. Launching in June, the program will include outreach and advertising initiatives that will continue through the summer. The main messages include a focus on safety and helping both groups understand and follow the laws, or rules, of the road.

To kick off the program, a group of 25 cyclists from UDOT, DPS, law enforcement, health departments, other state agencies and bicycle advocacy groups will participate in a weeklong bike tour, dubbed the Road Respect Tour, beginning June 13 in Logan concluding in St. George on June 18. As the ride moves south, from town to town, community Road Respect rallies and stops will be hosted, with the goal of increasing respect among motorists and cyclists. The tour will feature ride opportunities which are legs of the Road Respect Tour open to cyclists with road experience. Ride times and places to link up for joining in the ride will be on the Road Respect website. The rallies will often have special events appropriate for the whole family such as bike rodeos, helmet giveaways, family bike rides, food and fun games. Mutual respect between the two modes of transportation will be reinforced in a fun and friendly atmosphere for the whole family.

The first day’s ride begins in Logan and heads through Ogden, then Farmington, finishing in Salt Lake City. On Tuesday, the ride commences in Salt Lake and rides up Emigration Canyon to Park City for a rally at Miner’s Park, before concluding in Provo. Wednesday’s ride will have the core group leaving from Provo and riding into Nephi, and Moroni, before finishing with a special stop in Manti. The following morning the tour will be in Moab for some special Road Respect festivities: a 65-mile ride out to Dead Horse Point and back (open to all), a family bike ride, activities for children, food, fun and special guest speakers. The June 17th ride will leave Torrey, and arrive in Loa for a rally before heading to Panguitch. The tour concludes on Saturday with stops and rallies in Springdale and Hurricane including fun family events, helmet giveaways, a metric century ride, and the ribbon cutting event for the first designated bike route in Washington County.

The public is invited to participate and attend these free events. More details and a list of stops and rallies are found on the program website, RoadRespect.Utah.gov which will be officially launched on May 27th.

Rules of the Road—Tips for Cyclists and Motorists

Tips for cyclists

• When not impeding traffic, ride no more than two abreast. When a car is coming or when you are riding in traffic, ride single file.

• Obey all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings. If you want the respect of motorists, you must show respect for traffic laws.

• Ride predictably.

• Ride with the flow of traffic.

• Ride on the right side of the roadway or bike lane as far to the right side as safely possible.

• It is acceptable to ride in the middle of the lane if you are making a left turn, if there are obstacles impeding the bike lane or if you are moving at the same speed as traffic.

• Don’t weave between parked cars or cars stopped at red lights.

• Wear bright clothing that increases your visibility to motorists.

• When riding at dusk or dark, use reflective clothing and lights.

• Always wear a helmet. Your helmet should sit level on your head and the straps should be snug.

• Make eye contact with motorists when making a turn or changing lanes, so each party is aware of one another.

• When entering or crossing a road from a parking lot, driveway or crosswalk, or when changing lanes or leaving the shoulder, yield to vehicles already on the road.

• Signal when turning.

• Be respectful of other road users. Courtesy is contagious. Always be a bike ambassador on the road!

Tips for motorists

• Give at least three feet of space when passing a bicyclist. If traveling on higher-speed roads, give more space.

• Watch for bicycles in traffic; they are smaller and harder to see.

• Don’t underestimate the speed of a bicyclist. Many bicyclists can easily travel at 25-30 mph.

• Slow down around cyclists.

• When driving near a child on a bike, be prepared for the unexpected.

• When turning left, yield to any vehicle, including a bicycle approaching from the opposite direction.

• When turning right and passing a cyclist, leave plenty of room between cyclists who are also turning right. Do not pass the cyclist and turn in front of them.

• Be patient when driving around cyclists. Roadway conditions may make it necessary for cyclists to ride in the middle of the lane because of potholes, road debris, or a parked vehicle.

• Be aware of your surroundings and don’t drive distracted.

• Be aware of bicyclists entering the roadway from driveways, intersection sidewalks and other streets.

• Avoid honking your horn around cyclists, if possible. Car horns are much louder outside of your vehicle and can startle bicyclists and cause dangerous reactions.

• Be respectful of other road users. Courtesy is contagious.

Matt Bradley Won’t Let Cancer Keep Him Down

Jared Eborn
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Matt Bradley Won’t Let Cancer Keep Him Down
Matt Bradley
Matt Bradley racing in the 2011 Hell of the North Road Race.
Photo: Dave Iltis

By Jared Eborn

June 2011 – The news hit Matt Bradley like a punch to the stomach.

Cancer. Six little letters that carry an entire dictionary worth of impact.

A competitive cyclist who had found considerable success racing in the Cat 3 field, Bradley had built a reputation as an aggressive racer who showed little fear when attacking the field, even winning the 2010 Tour of the Depot.

But his life changed in ways he never imagined after he felt some strange pain in his right foot in March of 2010. At first, Bradley said he thought maybe he had some problems with his shoe or maybe a pinched nerve.

“I just ignored it for a while,” Bradley said.

But in just a couple of months, the pain was too severe to ignore.

“Finally, in June, I did a race and the pain was so bad I couldn’t even clip in,” he said.

A visit to the doctor where he thought he’d get a quick diagnosis and have a little recovery time was what he hoped for. Instead, his visit to the doctor became a life-altering experience – one that led to the amputation of his leg just below the knee.

The pain that started in March became a fast-growing cancer diagnosis that required quick decisions.

“I sat in my truck and cried for a minute,” Bradley said of his reaction. “At first, I thought I’d be off my foot for a week or two and then I’d be back to normal.”

Normal, unfortunately, wasn’t an option.

After discussing the options with his doctors, family and friends, Bradley decided the best – most effective – treatment was also the most drastic. His right foot – the one he used so often to push and pull with on his bike – would have to go. Chemotherapy and radiation were considered but the cancer was a type that was growing fast and could easily spread.

So, in August – just a few short months after first feeling pain in his foot – Bradley and friends hopped on their bikes and enjoyed one last ride with ‘Righty” as they pedaled to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Instead of amputation of just the foot, Bradley opted to have the lower portion of his leg removed as well because the prosthetic options were better and, despite the drastic move, he could more easily resume the passion that cycling gave him.

Within a couple of weeks of the surgery, Bradley was on a bike, doing one-legged drills to prove cancer may have robbed him of his leg, but not his spirit and certainly not his drive.

The Utah Cyclocross Series joined forces with Bradley – and other Utah cyclists affected by cancer such as Connor O’Leary and Cindy Yorgason — to host a ‘cross-out cancer’ event raising funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

That got his competitive fire burning a little bit and he picked up his training. Now, he’s back on the bike and lining up with the Cat 3 field again. He knows he’s at a bit of a disadvantage, but refuses to give up.

“Calves are an important muscle,” Bradley said. “I definitely feel the lack of it, especially on hills. But I get a little bit better each race and I’m getting my form back.”

Bradley, less than a year after the amputation, is back in the mix.

“Midway through today’s race this guy rolls up next to me and says, “you do pretty good for only having one and a half leg,” Bradley said of a reaction he received during the Bear Lake Classic Road Race on May 14. “I beat him.”

There are times, Bradley admits, cancer could get him down. But he won’t let that happen.

“Even last place,” he said, “is better than just sitting on the couch and not doing anything.”

Utahns Excel in 2011 Ironman St. George

Jared Eborn
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Utahns Excel in 2011 Ironman St. George
Ironman St. George Utah
Spencer Woolston won the Men’s 30-34 divisionwas the top Utah competitor. He finished 18th overall.
Photo: Asiphoto.com

By Jared Eborn

June 2011 – An early season start, a brutally rugged course and nasty reputation for being the toughest event in the series didn’t scare off nearly 1,700 triathletes who signed up for Ironman St. George.

In its second year, the event certainly didn’t disappoint in delivering one of the most challenging triathlons in the United States and further cementing Ironman St. George as Utah’s premier multi-sport event.

The May 7 race attracted numerous professional and elite amateur triathletes from around the world and they looked at the event as an early opportunity to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.

The race, won by Switzerland’s Mathias Hecht with a time of 8 hours, 32 minutes and three seconds, began at Sand Hollow State Park for a 2.4 mile swim and took participants on a 112-mile bike ride that included two loops around the notorious Veyo Wall.

Heather Wurtele, a Canadian who spends several weeks each year in the St. George area training specifically for Ironman St. George, was a repeat winner on the women’s side, blistering the 140.6 mile course in 9:30:33 – 36 minutes faster than her nearest competitor.

Naturally, hundreds of Utahns trained for the big race in their back yard and several had tremendous success.

Ali Black was the top Utah woman. She won the 35-39 field. Photo: Asiphoto.com
Ali Black was the top Utah woman. She won the 35-39 field. Photo: Asiphoto.com

Spencer Woolston, from Highland, was the fastest Utahn, crossing the line in just 9:33:36 and was the fifth fastest amateur while winning the Men’s 30-34 division and posting the 18th best time overall. Woolston scorched the bike course with the eighth fastest time over the 112-mile course in just 4:58:09.

North Salt Lake’s B.J. Christensen used a strong swim and marathon to finish with a time of 9:48:49, 28th overall – punching his ticket to another appearance in Kona.

Utah’s Jared Preston also had a strong race, placing third in the men’s 40-44 field with a time of 9:57:19.

The top Utah woman was Alison Fillmore Black. The mother of four from Salt Lake City dominated the women’s 35-39 field to win in a time of 10:47:54 and placed 132nd overall among the nearly 1,700 racers.

Emily Ure, also from Salt Lake City, captured the win in the women’s 25-29 division with a time of 11:12:20.

Woolston said he was pleased with his result but had set a very ambitious goal and felt a little disappointment in not being the first amateur to cross the finish line.

“I actually am really happy with how it all went,” he said. “Crossing the finish line was like no other Ironman before, I felt like I had pushed myself better than my previous three Ironmans. I am happy with the progress I am making.”

After blowing the field apart with his bike split, Woolston began the marathon as the first amateur out of T2. But some gastro-intestinal issues caused a few problems.

“I led all amateurs until about mile 6.5, I was passed in the port-a-potty. I caught the guy at about mile 13 and led again till about mile 19.5 when two guys passed me,” Woolston said. “Then with less than three miles to go two more guys passed, two other guys were gaining on me quick, with one mile to go I picked my pace up, it hurt real bad but I held them off by less than a minute. At 95 degrees the heat got me, the second half of the marathon was tough.”

Tough, of course, is an expected word used to describe any Ironman race, let alone one run in 95 degree temperatures and featuring some of the most demanding climbs on any bike or run course.

The 2012 version of the race is already accepting registrations and will be held May 5.

The event is a huge economic boost to the St. George area with an estimated $5-6 million generated during the weekend with millions more spent in the area during pre-race training trips to the course. California (431) was the only state to bring more athletes to the race than Utah, which had 307 triathletes register.

Top five professional men’s results are below:

1. Mathias Hecht CHE 8:32:03

2. Maik Twelsiek DEU 8:33:46

3. T.J. Tollakson USA 8:40:20

4. Ben Hoffman USA 8:41:39

5. Mike Aigroz CHE 8:42:06

Top five professional women’s results are below:

1. Heather Wurtele CAN 9:30:33

2. Jackie Arendt USA 10:06:36

3. Uli Bromme USA 10:10:48

4. Liis Toomingas FIN 10:36:36

5. Tamara Kozulina UKR 10:43:37

Tour of Utah Team Lineup Finalized – 5 UCI Pro Tour Teams Featured

Cycling West
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June 2011 – The 2011 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah professional cycling stage race will now feature a total of five UCI pro teams. Liquigas-Cannondale and Garmin-Cervélo have been confirmed for the August 9-14 event for a who’s-who of pro cycling, which also includes HTC-Highroad, Team RadioShack, and BMC Racing.

A total of 16 teams from around the globe will compete for six days across the mountains, buttes and plateaus of Utah, vying for UCI points, award jerseys and $116,000 in prize money. With some pro teams opting to bring smaller rosters, five or six riders rather than the maximum of eight, the Tour of Utah opted to expand its field from 15 teams to 16 total teams. Such a stellar lineup validates the strongest international field of professional athletes in the seven-year history of the Tour of Utah.

“America’s Toughest Stage Race” will be the first UCI 2.1-rated stage race for ProTeams in the U.S. following the Tour de France. All of the ProTeams coming to Utah, plus Geox-TMC, raced in May’s three-week Giro d’Italia. Eleven of the confirmed teams competed at the Amgen Tour of California.

The cream of the crop of Continental teams, which focus on USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar, are provided an opportunity in Utah to go head to head with the bigger teams that focus on international races. There are a total of 11 U.S.-registered squads, and other teams represent Canada, Italy, Great Britain, New Zealand and Spain. Each team will announce its roster later in the summer.

Final Team Lineup:

UCI Pro Teams Confirmed: (world rankings as of May 2, 2011)

• HTC-Highroad (USA), No. 1 on World Tour

• Team RadioShack (USA), No. 3 on World Tour

• BMC Racing Team (USA), No. 5 on World Tour

• Team Garmin-Cervélo (USA), No. 7 on World Tour

• Liquigas-Cannondale (ITA), No. 16 on World Tour

UCI Professional Continental Teams Confirmed:

• Geox-TMC (ESP), No. 7 on UCI Europe Tour

• Team Type 1 – sanofi-aventis (USA), No. 16 on UCI Europe Tour

• Team SpiderTech powered by C10 (CAN), No. 34 on UCI Europe Tour

• UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling (USA), No. 6 NRC and 16 on UCI America Tour

UCI Continental Team Confirmed:

• Bissell Pro Cycling (USA), No. 2 NRC team

• Endura Racing (GBR), No. 17 on UCI America Tour

• Jamis/ Sutter Home Pro Cycling (USA), No. 8 NRC team

• Kelly Benefit Strategies – OptumHealth (USA), No. 16 NRC team

• PureBlack Racing (NZL), No. 7 NRC team and 4th on UCI Oceania tour

• RealCyclist.com Pro Cycling (USA), No. 1 NRC team

• Trek LIVESTRONG U23 (USA), No. 4 NRC team

Swenson and Bingham Take Sundance Spin (at Soldier Hollow)

Cycling West
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Swenson and Bingham Take Sundance Spin (at Soldier Hollow)
Keegan Swenson
17 year old Keegan Swenson won the Men’s Pro race. Photo: Christopher See.

By Christopher See

June 2011 – Installment number four of the Intermountain Cup MTB Series, The Sundance Spin presented by Mad Dog Cycles, held May 14, 2011, was relocated to Soldier Hollow. A deep and unyielding snowpack at Sundance Resort and continuing spring/winter (sprinter) weather conditions prompted the decision. The Soldier Hollow course was designed as a nine-mile loop with one thousand feet of climbing per lap. The pro men would take on three laps of the long loop, and then a shorter finishing loop without the big climbs for a total of nearly thirty miles. The pro women would take three long laps for twenty seven miles.

An uncharacteristically sunny day presented itself on race day. The pro men’s field featured Keegan Swenson (Whole Athlete), Noah Talley (Revolution/Peak Fasteners) and Jason Sager (Team Jamis). This would be a day for the young guns. 17-year-old Swenson went out to an early lead and never looked back. He brought home top honors with a total time of 1:57:03. Talley, 15, rolled in 4 minutes behind with a time of 2:01:36. Third went to Chris Holley (Mad Dog Cycles) at 2:02:28. The veteran Sager ended the day in fourth. Swenson said it was a fun course even with all the climbing.

Kelsey Bingham
Kelsy Bingham took honors in the Women’s Pro event. Photo: Christopher See.

In the women’s field, Ogden adversaries Kelsy Bingham (Team Jamis) and Sarah Kaufmann (Elete Nutrition) took the start along with seven others. From the gun Bingham and Erica Tingey (Las Vegas Cyclery) opened a gap over Kaufmann and Kara (KC) Holley (Mad Dog). Kaufmann closed the gap. She, Bingham and Tingey took off leaving KC behind. Bingham had a mechanical, which allowed Kaufmann to slip past. Bingham chased hard through the second lap. The gaps between first and third were never more than 30 seconds. Bingham caught Kaufmann as the trio started lap three. In the end Bingham would finish only nine seconds ahead of Kaufmann, with a time of 2:10:54. Holley finished third and Tingey fourth. Post race Kaufmann made the wry observation that for a sunny day, the organizers managed to find the only two mud puddles in the venue and ran everyone through them. That’s mountain bike racing.

Draper Velopark Moves Forward

Jared Eborn
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By Jared Eborn

June 2011 – Utah has a rich cycling history with velodromes at Saltair, the Salt Palace, and other Utah locations attracting some of the sports biggest names in racing decades ago.

Draper would like to bring some of that legacy back to life and is moving forward with plans for a multi-function velopark that could become the focus of Utah’s cycling community.

With a velodrome, a cyclocross park, a criterium course and a BMX/mountain bike skills course, the Draper Cycle Park could attract as many as 100,000 visitors per year and provide a year-round training and racing facility used by cyclists of all types. In addition to the cycling focus, the Draper Cycle Park – which will be built next to the existing Equestrian Park near the popular Corner Canyon mountain biking trail system – will have an inline skating, handcycling, a climbing wall, a playground and concessions to make the park as multi-functional as possible.

In a brochure prepared by Draper City, Mayor Darrell H. Smith touted the benefits of the facility to not only Draper but also the entire Utah cycling community.

“The Cycle Park will be a tremendous addition to the community of Draper,” Smith said. “The city has already built innercity cycling and hiking trails that link together and access the Corner Canyon Regional Park, more than 1,000 acres of open space in the foothills of southeast Draper. This park will host national and international events and attract visitors from around the world.”

The proposed velodrome will be the focal point of the park and will be a UCI-sanctioned 250-meter facility that might attract numerous national and potentially international events. The altitude of the Salt Lake Valley is ideal for record breaking rides. The outdoor facility will be constructed with concrete and, because it will not come with a roof and the associated costs, will be significantly less expensive to build and maintain than an indoor velodrome.

The price tag for the facility, which will be built in phases and has a target completion date of Summer 2014, is $3.35 million. The largest chunk of the project was a $6.36 million land-acquisition purchase in 2009.

The velodrome would likely be used on most days of the week for training. The proposed criterium course could easily become home to a weekly race series and host numerous weekend events. The velodrome will feature a connector so that criterium races could finish on the track. As calendar turns and the temperatures drop, the cyclocross course would extend the park’s use through the fall and winter months as Utah’s cyclists put the skinny tires away and break out their knobby tires in search of alternate training and competitive fixes.

With a connecter to the already popular Corner Canyon trails, the Draper Cycle Park would serve cyclists of all varieties throughout the year.

““It sounds like a great facility and I know people in Utah will get plenty of use out of it,” said former Olympic speedskating medalist and Olympian in track racing Chris Witty. “It’s such a healthy and fit culture. It would be awesome if you could get a velodrome built. Speedskating and track cycling have been my passions my whole life so for me it’s like a dream come true to have both venues at the same location.”

Though blueprints and brochures are already to go, the funding is still a work in progress.

The Salt Lake Velodrome Association (saltlakevelodrome.com) has partnered with Draper City to help fund the project. Canyon Bicycles of Draper has donated $50,000, as has the Bunny Bradley Memorial fund.

For more information on how to help the project, visit www.DraperCyclePark.com or call (801) 576-6527.

Bicycle Collective News

Cycling West
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June 2011 – Last month, while celebrating May is National Bike Month, the Bicycle Collective’s SLC Community Bike Shop was attacked by a car. No people or bikes were harmed, only — one less car. To celebrate the summer and their new front door, they are hiring! JP Orquiz and Brian Tecklenburg are now the new Shop Managers at the Ogden Community Bike Shop, and Hailey Broussard is now the Earn-a-Bike Director. At this time they are still looking to hire a Trips for Kids Director to coordinate youth MTB rides, info at www.slcbikecollective.org. As always, they need volunteers too! Volunteer mentors with regular availability sometime from 9 am until 3 pm are needed for their Earn-a-Bike program. They also need a small army to help with the many Valet Bike Parking events this summer.

The Park Tool School (www.parktool.com/clinics_training) is still taught every Monday starting at 6pm at the Community Bike Shop (2312 S. West Temple). Classes don’t build on each other, so jump in at any time. Participants will learn how to true wheels, adjust derailleurs and brakes, and general skills. See the Collective’s website (www.slcbikecollective.org) or call 801-FAT-BIKE for a schedule.

Tour of Utah Volunteers Needed

Cycling West
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Following the celebrated Tour de France, some of the world’s best professional cycling teams will travel to American soil and race in the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, August 9-14, 2011. Enjoy the race by being PART of the support team that makes this event possible! Volunteers are needed for a variety of positions, from one stage to a full week. Providing your energy and expertise is a great way to get plugged into the community and be part of all the fantastic festivities. Positions include Course Marshals, Security, Media Operations, Spectator Marketing and more. Help the Tour of Utah take center stage in the world of professional cycling this August and make it the best experience for the athletes, sponsors, visitors and neighbors. For more information, visit tourofutah.com/volunteer.

Bikes Fly Free on Frontier

Cycling West
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June 2011 – Frontier Airlines has removed the flat fee for checked bicycles and will now include them in the standard baggage allowance, meaning customers traveling on Classic or Classic Plus fares can include their bike as one of their two complimentary checked bags and Economy passengers would pay $20 if the bike is one of their first two checked bags. Bikes will be exempt from any oversize fees, but subject to overweight fees and excess bag fees, if applicable. This is similar to the carrier’s current policy for golf clubs and skis. Frontier flies out of Salt Lake City.

[Editor’s Note: We can only hope that the other major carriers follow suit.]

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About Cycling West: Cycling West is a print publication and website that works to grow, connect, and inform the cycling community in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, N. Arizona, N. California, and Western Colorado. We have a complete calendar of events in the region, and strive to reach cyclists of all types. We distribute approximately 13000-15000 copies each month throughout the region. We also post the issue for digital download. Our mission is to make the world a better place through bicycling. Please join us! Contact us: [email protected]

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