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Tour of Utah Opening Press Conference

Jared Eborn
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Tour of Utah Opening Press Conference

By Jared Eborn
SALT LAKE CITY — Bicycle racing in Utah has come of age.
Though the Beehive State has produced numerous pros over the years — ranging from Marty Jemison to Levi Leipheimer to Jeff Louder and Chase Pinkham — Utah hasn’t been home to serious pro races.
Until now.
The 2011 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah has been a fixture on the National Racing Calendar for a few years. But with its growth to inclusion on the prestigious UCI Calendar, the Tour of Utah has truly arrived.
“This is the heyday of American cycling,” Sean Petty, chief operating officer of USA Cycling, said during a Monday press conference. “It’s higher than it’s ever been.”
With five Pro Tour teams  — including HTC-Highroad, Garmin-Cervelo, Liquigas-Cannondale, BMC Racing and Radio Shack — participating in the 2011 version of the race, the field is by far the deepest and most talented in the history of the event.
Levi Leipheimer, a former Utah resident and one of the top riders in the Radio Shack squad, is back to defend the title he won in 2010 as a solo rider. This time, he brings friends and teammates as he attacks the peloton.
“This makes it that much more difficult,” Leipheimer said of the dramatically deeper field. “It was already a hard race, but now, with Pro Tour teams, this is going to be intense.”

Utah’s Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Cervelo) will also be racing as will Utahns Jeff Louder (BMC) and Chase Pinkham (Bissell) in a star-studded field.
The action kicks off Tuesday with a short, but steep, uphill prologue at the Utah Olympic Park and continues Wednesday with a nasty 113-mile stage beginning and ending in Ogden.

Photos from today’s Tour of Utah Press Conference. 8-8-2011.

All photos by CottonSoxPhotography.

Winners of the last 3 Tours of Utah: Jeff Louder, Levi Leipheimer, and Paco ManceboThe Tour of Utah Jerseys
SL County Mayor Peter Corroon.

 

 

 

Jeff Louder speaks about the upcoming race and how Snowbird will be anything but a parade.
The Tour of Utah Jerseys

 

Levi talked about how he learned how to race at the Salt Lake City Thursday night crit series and said, “I cut my teeth as a racer on the roads here.”

Cycling Utah’s August 2011 Issue is Now Available!

Cycling West
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Cycling Utah’s August 2011 Issue is Now Available!

Our August 2011 Issue is now available as a PDF (6.4 mb download), Pick up a copy at your favorite Intermountain bike shop or other location!

 

Featuring:

Can I Just Say It? page – 2

The Climbs of Utah County page – 3

Keep It Moving: Turn Your Pedals Throughout Each Ride page – 4

We’re Weird, That’s For Sure… page – 5

Review: Bike Snob: Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning the World of Cycling page – 5

Bart Gillespie Melds Bike Commuting with Family, Work, and Professional Racing page – 6

Bike Utah News page – 9

Study Looks at Safe Routes to School Programs page – 11

Bike Collective News page – 11

Utahn’s Excel at MTB Nationals; Clouse and Sparks Win Categories page – 11

The Crusher Lives up to Its Name page – 12

Upgrade your Road wheels for Better Performance page – 14

The 2011 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah page – 15

Race Overview and Guide on Where to Watch page – 15

Who to Watch – 2011 Tour of Utah page – 18

Tour of Utah Jerseys page – 18

Cary Smith and Amanda Carey Win PC50 page – 19

Utahns to Race Tour of Utah page – 23

2011 Sports Nutrition News from the American College of Sports Medicine page – 26

Emigration Trail Classic page – 27

Tales from the Old Country: Bike Touring in Germany page – 28

The Great Divide Basin.  page – 30

An Excerpt from “Be Brave, Be Strong: A Journey Across the Great Divide” page – 30


Tour of Utah Jersey Guide

Cycling West
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Tour of Utah Jerseys

 

Over the course of the race a number of jerseys will be awarded. These signify leaders of the various competitions that occur within the larger race. While the the yellow leader’s jersey is the most coveted, riders and teams will battle it out to secure top position in the other competitions. At the end of each stage, the jerseys will be presented to the new leaders of the day. The jerseys are designed and produced by local company DNA Cycling.

 

Larry H. Miller Dealerships Overall Leader’s Jersey

Color: Yellow

This jersey signifies the leader of the General Classification, or GC. The cyclist with the least overall accumulated time is awarded the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Race Leader’s Jersey after each stage, and at the end of the race is crowned the race champion. Sponsored by Larry H. Miller Dealerships, which include 23 different automotive brands under 40 dealership locations in seven western states, this jersey carries the distinctive yellow color made famous by the Tour de France. The tradition of using the color yellow to signify the race leader was first used by the Tour de France in 1913.  Past winners of the yellow jersey and the overall champions of the Tour of Utah include Scott Moninger (USA) in 2006, Jeff Louder (USA) in 2008, Francisco Mancebo (ESP) in 2009, and Levi Leipheimer (USA) in 2010.

 

XO Communications Sprint Award Jersey

Color: Copper

The XO Communications Sprint award jersey takes its inspiration from the high desert hues that make the mountains so majestic along the Wasatch Front.  This copper jersey is awarded to the rider who specializes in bursts of speed, but not just at the finish line.  Points are amassed at designated Sprint Lines along the route and by finishing in the top 15 places at the finish line of each stage. As one of the nation’s largest communications service providers of advanced VoIP, Internet, managed network, and hosted IT solutions, XO Communications will honor the cyclist who is similarly dedicated to reliability and speed.

 

Ski Utah King of the Mountain (KOM) Award Jersey

Color: Blue/Polka Dot

Utah is known for its mountains, with skiing in winter and cycling in summer. Look for the signature snowflakes to designate the Ski Utah KOM award jersey. This blue and white design offers a fresh take on a traditional polka-dot theme for the best climber in the peloton. It is the same snowflake used by Ski Utah to promote “The Greatest Snow on Earth®”. This jersey is earned by collecting points at designated KOM locations along the grueling climbs of the Wasatch Front. Only the top three cyclists who cross the KOM climbs receive points, and the rider with the most accumulated points is awarded this jersey.

 

Subaru Best Young Rider Jersey

Color: Light Blue

Each day of the Tour of Utah, the up-and-coming riders of professional cycling compete for a race within the race to be named the Subaru Best Young Rider. Sponsored by the Wasatch Front Subaru Dealers, this prestigious jersey is available for any rider under the age of 24. This is determined based on the athlete’s overall placement at the finish line, the winner selected with the least amount of overall accumulated time. At the Tour of Utah, this athlete then earns the right to wear the light blue Subaru Best Young Rider jersey during the next day’s stage.

 

Vivint Most Aggressive Rider Jersey

Color: Orange

Vivint, a home automation/security company based in Provo, will recognize the rider who demonstrates extraordinary performance and courageous effort during each day’s contest. This would include someone who maintains a solo breakaway, attacks the peloton, bridges a significant gap or creates a decisive breakaway group.  The Vivint Most Aggressive Rider award jersey is judged by a panel of national media and race entourage officials who will vote daily to determine the winner of this prestigious orange jersey.

 

Miller Lite Best Utah Rider Jersey

Color: Navy Blue

Unique to this event is a Miller Lite Best Utah Rider award jersey.  Special recognition is extended to athletes who are natives of the Beehive State, or who call Utah home for training.  From this pool of competitors, the one with the best overall time each day earns the dark blue jersey. This is the first year that Miller Lite has been involved as a sponsor for the Tour of Utah.

 

Riders to Watch in the 2011 Tour of Utah

Cycling West
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Who to Watch – 2011 Tour of Utah

 

Levi Leipheimer (Team RadioShack): If you watched the 2010 Tour of Utah, you know that the depending champion will be the one to beat.   Levi is having a great 2011 season, having won the 2011 Tour de Suisse and placing 2nd at the Amgen Tour of California. Levi placed 3rd in the Tour de France in 2007 and won the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics.  Levi graduated from Rowland Hall High School in Salt Lake City.

 

Tejay van Garderen (HTC-High Road): At only 22 years of age, Tejay is one of the bright up and coming stars in American cycling.  A 10 time US Junior National Champion, Tejay had a break out year in 2010 placing 3rd in the Criterium Dauphine Libere,  nearly upsetting Tour de France champioin Alberto Contador in the Prologue.  Tejay finish 6th Overall in this year’s Amgen Tour of California.  Tejay participated in his first Tour de France in July.

 

Francisco Mancebo (RealCyclist.com): The 2009 Tour of Utah champion and 2010 runner up, returns on a new team and on the top of the  USA Cycling National Racing Calendar as the individual points leader (through June 2011).  This year, Francisco has won the overall classification at Tour of the Gila, Tour de Beauce, Sea Otter Classic and the Redlands Classic.  A native of Spain, he finished in the top 10 of the Tour de France five times (2000, 2002-05), and was 3rd overall at the 2004 and 2005 Vuelta a Espana.

 

Jeff Louder (Team BMC): Utah Native and 2008 Tour of Utah champion, Jeff Louder returns hoping to continue his strong showing in front of the home crowd.  Jeff put on an amazing display as he won the Park City criterium solo in front of 15,000 screaming fans packed into Old Town Park City.

 

George Hincapie (Team BMC): George will be returning to Utah after starting his record tying 16th Tour de France in July.  George has been on 8 Tour de France winning teams as a super domestique for both Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador.

 

David Zabriskie (Garmin-Cervélo): Another Utah native, David, returns home with the Garmin-Cervelo team.  David is a time trial specialist, winning the US Pro National Championship five times.  David and his Garmin-Cervelo teammates won this year’s Tour de France Team Time Trial.

 

Chase Pinkham (BISSELL Pro Cycling): With the Tour of Utah as one of his favorite races, look for Salt Lake City resident Chase to display his climbing prowess on his home turf. In only his second year as a professional cyclist, Chase scored top ten finishes in both the time trial and road race at this year USA Cycling Professional Championships.

 

Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies–OptumHealth): A resident of Sandy, Utah, Reid is a time trial specialist who recently placed in the top 10 at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Reid has a Ph.D. in high-energy particle physics from Johns Hopkins University.

 

Evan Hyde (RealCyclist.com): A second-year pro, Evan grew up in Alaska and now resides in Park City, Utah. He scored a top 5 finish in the overall at the 2011 Tour of Tucson. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, he is competing for a new team, which is sponsored by Utah-based RealCyclist.com.

 

Tyler Wren (Jamis/Sutter Home): All-arounder Tyler lives in Salt Lake City—on the Tour of Utah’s circuit course, in fact, near the University of Utah. Tyler was named winner of Stage 9 of the 2011 Vuelta Ciclista de Chile, considered the “queen” stage of the 10-day, 750-mile race. Tyler placed 3rd in G.C. at the recent San Dimas Stage Race. In the 2010 Tour of Utah, Tyler placed 10th overall.

 

Peter Stetina (Garmin-Cervélo): Up and comer Peter has his sights set on the Tour of Utah, and has been training in Colorado in preparation. In his Grand Tour debut at this year’s Giro d’Italia, Peter was the top North American finisher placing a respectable 22nd and took third in the Young Rider Classification. He is the 2010 U.S. U23 Time Trial Champion.

 

Matthew Busche (Team RadioShack): Matthew is the 2011 USA Cycling Professional Road Race Champion, and placed third in the U.S. Professional Time Trial Championship. In 2010, he was third in the Tour of Denmark. At the 2009 Tour of Utah, he placed seventh overall, which was his first race as a professional. He is a graduate of Luther  College in Iowa.

 

Utahns to ride in Tour of Utah

Jared Eborn
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By Jared Eborn

 

For the growing number of professional cyclists calling the state of Utah home, the upcoming Tour of Utah isn’t just another bike race – it’s their bike race.

And when it comes to racing, there’s virtually no place they’d rather compete than in their own back yard.

“This is going to be great,” Salt Lake City’s Jeff Louder said during a Tour of Utah sponsored Tour de France watching party. “The race is getting big. It’s going to be harder than ever.”

The Tour of Utah already has a reputation of having perhaps the most difficult course in America. But with a new UCI status and a field littered with Pro Tour and Tour de France caliber riders, the competition will be more intense than ever.

“It was already one of the toughest races in the world,” Evan Hyde, a Park City resident and member of the RealCyclist.com pro team, said. “But now, with teams like Radio Shack, Garmin and BMC sending riders, it’s just going to take everything up another level. Just having those guys around makes it that much more difficult.”

Utah should have a loaded field of riders with local flavor. Not only will Louder, a past overall champion of the race, be riding with his BMC teammates, Hyde and the Utah-based RealCyclist.com squad will be attacking the roads of the Wasatch. Additionally, former Utahns Levi Leipheimer and Dave Zabriskie will return to their old stomping grounds with the Radio Shack and Garmin-Cervelo teams.

Bissell Pro Cycling is also racing and rising star Chase Pinkham will certainly want to make a solid showing for himself after a pair of Top 10 finishes at the U.S. Pro Championships and a Top 10 at the recent Cascade Classic in Oregon.

Tyler Wren, a Utahn for the past couple of years, will saddle up for his Jamis/Sutter Home team after winning the Crusher in the Tushar just a few weeks earlier. He could be joined by Cottonwood High grad Reid Mumford and the Kelly Benefit Strategies team.

“I’m really excited about how the race has grown,” Louder said. “Just seeing the quality of teams coming and knowing how hard the race already was makes me more excited to race.”

Louder said he will probably be joined in Utah by BMC teammates Brent Bookwalter and George Hincapie. Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, however, is not making the trip to Utah.

Still, with teams like HTC-High Road and Liquigas sending squads, the Tour of Utah is going to be a stacked deck for UCI-Continental teams such as Bissell, United Healthcare and RealCyclist.com – which features former Tour of Utah champ Francisco Mancebo.

 

Top Teams and Riders to Compete in the Tour of Utah Starting Tuesday August 9

Cycling West
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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (July 28, 2011) – Fresh from Paris and the Champs-Élysées, a number of noted professional cyclists next eye the Wasatch Front and the Tour of Utah. Race organizers for the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah confirmed team rosters today, including participation by George Hincapie (BMC Racing Team), three-time U.S. Pro Road Race Champion; Tom Danielson (Team Garmin-Cervélo), ninth overall at the 2011 Tour de France; and Levi Leipheimer (Team RadioShack), defending Tour of Utah champion and reigning Tour de Suisse winner. The August 9-14 event, referred to as “America’s Toughest Stage Race™”, is now a UCI 2.1-sanctioned stage event and will feature five ProTeams.

 

The final field, available on the official event web site (www.tourofutah.com), includes 120 riders representing 20 countries. There are a total of 16 professional teams who accepted invitations to compete in the sixth edition of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, with five of these teams having just competed in the Tour de France.  The Tour of Utah covers 409-miles in six days, and will begin Tuesday, August 9 with the Prologue presented by KJZZ-TV and 1320 KFAN at Utah Olympic Park in Park City.

 

Among the notable professionals in this year’s contest are: American David Zabriskie (Team Garmin-Cervélo), winner of a record six U.S. time trial championships; American Christian Vande Velde (Team Garmin-Cervélo), 4th overall at the 2011 Amgen Tour of California; Spaniard Francisco Mancebo (RealCyclist.com), reigning NRC individual points leader and 2009 overall winner of the  Tour of Utah; German Robert Förster (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling), an accomplished sprinter with five stage wins in 2011; American Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Highroad), best young rider at the 2011 Amgen Tour of California; and Spaniard Oscar Sevilla (Gobernacion de Antioquia – Indeportes Antioquia), reigning champion of Vuelta a Colombia.

 

“It is an unbelievable field of international athletes this year, from Grand Tour veterans to National Racing Calendar stars here in the U.S.  Spectators are going to be treated to incredible competition, the best we have had in six years of competition. The cream of the crop of Pro Continental and Continental teams will be at the Tour of Utah, providing an opportunity for them to go head to head with the ProTeam squads,” said Steve Miller, President of Utah Cycling Partnership, which has owned and operated the Tour of Utah since 2007.

 

Each domestic and international professional cycling team will compete with a maximum of eight riders per team.  The athletes 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.

 

ROSTER HIGHLIGHTS FOR EACH TEAM:

The world is very familiar with BMC Racing Team, which returns for its third Tour of Utah fresh off capturing the coveted yellow jersey at this year’s Tour de France.  Hincapie, who crashed out of the Tour of Utah last year, returns after finishing his 16th Tour de France. He will be joined by fellow Tour de France rider Brent Bookwalter of the U.S., and Utah native Jeff Louder, the 2008 Tour of Utah champion.

 

Having just captured the Best Team classification at the Tour de France, Team Garmin-Cervélo is stacked with talent for Utah.  Americans Danielson, Vande Velde, and Canadian Ryder Hesjedal, all finished in the Top 20 of the Tour de France. Danielson was third overall at the 2011 Amgen Tour of California. Peter Stetina (USA) was the top American at this year’s Giro d’Italia, finishing 22nd. Utah native David Zabriskie was injured on Stage 9 of the Tour de France, and has recovered to race the Tour of Utah. He is the only American professional cyclist to have a stage win in each of the three Grand Tours (Italy, France, and Spain).

 

World No.1- ranked HTC-Highroad returns to the U.S. after six stage victories at the Tour de France. They will bring 10-time U.S. national junior champion Tejay van Garderen, who wore the King of the Mountain (KOM) jersey after Stage 8 at the Tour de France.  Van Garderen, who grew up in Montana, finished sixth overall in this year’s Amgen Tour of California.  He’ll be joined by American Danny Pate, who helped position his team to five sprint victories in France, and Hayden Roulston, the 2011 New Zealand 2011 Road National Champion.

 

Team RadioShack brings a full squad of eight riders in its quest to win a second Larry H. Miller Dealerships yellow jersey, won by Leipheimer last year. The Montana native, who trained for many years in Utah, crashed hard on Stage 6 of the Tour de France and was able to finish 32nd out of 167 riders who finished in Paris. Kiwi George Bennett comes over from the Trek-LIVESTRONG squad to support Leipheimer, having won the G.C. at Tour of Wellington earlier this year and securing the KOM title at Tour de Vineyards (both in New Zealand). American Jason McCartney was the KOM winner at 2006 Tour de Georgia and 2009 Amgen Tour of California.

 

Liquigas-Cannondalesquad features American Ted King, from New Hampshire, who was a bronze medalist at the 2011 USA Cycling Professional Road Race national championship.  He’ll be joined by Tim Duggan as the first two Americans to race for the Italian team. Duggan, a climber from Colorado, finished third at the 2008 USA Cycling Professional Time Trial Championship.

 

Förster is one of the international stars of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, the No. 2-rated NRC team.  Förster has stage wins at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, and finished third this year at the TD Bank Philadelphia International Championship. He’ll be joined by Scott Zwizanski of the U.S. and Rory Sutherland of Australia.

 

Team Type 1- sanofi-aventis brings Russian Vladimir Efimkin, a stage winner from the Vuelta a España and 11th overall at the 2008 Tour de France. He will ride along side his twin brother Alexander Efimkin. The team also brings Rubens Bertogliati, a two-time Swiss national time trial champion.

 

Team SpiderTech powered by C10, Canada’s first Pro Continental team, is currently ranked fifth on the UCI Americas Tour.  Among the Americans are Lucas Euser, who won both the KOM and Sprint classifications at this year’s Classic Tro Bro Leon in France, and Pat McCarty, who won the KOM classification at the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.

 

Geox-TMC, a UCI Professional Continental team based in Spain, will showcase Swiss time trial specialist Marcel Wyss, who finished second in his national time trial this year.

 

Endura Racing, a British UCI Continental team, will bring experienced Grand Tour athletes Iker Camaño Ortuzar of Spain and Paul Voss of Germany.  Camaño won the G.C. at this year’s Cinturon Ciclista Internacional a Mallorca.

 

The top-rated NRC team is BISSELL Pro Cycling Team, which will bring two-time U.S. national time trial champion Chris Baldwin as the team leader.  Look for 21-year-old climber Chase Pinkham, a native of Salt Lake City, Utah, to vye for both the Miller Lite Best Utah Rider and Subaru Best Young Rider jerseys.

 

RealCyclist.com Pro Cycling Team has captured four stage race victories this year, including the recent Cascade Cycling Classic. The top rider is Mancebo, the 2009 champion and 2010 runner-up of the Tour of Utah. He has dominated the G.C. at four stage races this year, winning Redlands Bicycle Classic, Sea Otter Classic, Tour of the Gila and Cascade Cycling Classic.  The team will also include all-rounder Evan Hyde, who lives in Park City, Utah.

 

The Jamis/Sutter Home Pro Cycling Team has U.S. time trial specialist Tom Zirbel, who finished second at the USA Cycling Professional Time Trial National Championship this year. He was fourth in the World Time Trial Championships in 2009.

 

Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth, features sprinter Alex Candelario, from Las Vegas, Nev., who finished second at the USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship last year, and sixth this year.  They also added climber Jason Donald, who won Stage One of the 2008 Tour of Utah racing for Garmin/Chipotle.

 

Team PureBlack Racing, based in Auckland, New Zealand, features a strong roster of 13 Kiwi riders, which has finished in the Top Three in stages at Redlands Bicycle Classic and Joe Martin Stage Race this year.   Roman van Uden scored the first win for Team PureBlack at the downtown criterium in Redlands, Calif. in April.

 

The Gobernación de Antioquia – Indeportes Antioquia is a UCI Continental team based in Colombia that is directed by former 14-year pro Santiago Botero. His team will feature notable Spanish climber, Oscar Sevilla, who won the Best Young Rider classification at the 2001Tour de France, captured this year’s G.C. at the two-week Vuelta a Colombia.

 

The 2011 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah continues to be free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique pro sports in the world today.  Information about teams, Health and Wellness Expo presented by UnitedHealthcare, national television coverage on FOX Sports Network and the Host Venues can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com,

About the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah

Deemed “America’s Toughest Stage RaceTM,” the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is a six-day, professional bicycle stage race along the Rocky Mountain’s Wasatch Range. It will cover 409 miles of racing through some of Utah’s most beautiful and challenging terrain. Now in its seventh year, the 2011 Tour of Utah is scheduled to take place August 9-14 as a UCI 2.1 sanctioned stage race for the best professional cyclists in the world. The event is owned and operated by the Utah Cycling Partnership. More information can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com.

 

Tour of Utah Jerseys 2011

Cycling West
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Over the course of the race a number of jerseys will be awarded. These signify leaders of the various competitions that occur within the larger race. While the the yellow leaders jersey is the most coveted, riders and teams will battle it out to secure top position in the other competitions. At the end of each stage, the jerseys will be presented to the new leaders of the day. The jerseys are designed and produced by local company DNA Cycling.

Larry H. Miller Dealerships Overall Leaders Jersey

Color: Yellow

This jersey signifies the leader of the General Classification, or GC. The cyclist with the least overall accumulated time is awarded the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Race Leaders Jersey after each stage, and at the end of the race is crowned the race champion. Sponsored by Larry H. Miller Dealerships, which include 23 different automotive brands under 40 dealership locations in seven western states, this jersey carries the distinctive yellow color made famous by the Tour de France. The tradition of using the color yellow to signify the race leader was first used by the Tour de France in 1913. Past winners of the yellow jersey and the overall champions of the Tour of Utah include Scott Moninger (USA) in 2006, Jeff Louder (USA) in 2008, Francisco Mancebo (ESP) in 2009, and Levi Leipheimer (USA) in 2010.

XO Communications Sprint Award Jersey

Color: Copper

The XO Communications Sprint award jersey takes its inspiration from the high desert hues that make the mountains so majestic along the Wasatch Front. This copper jersey is awarded to the rider who specializes in bursts of speed, but not just at the finish line. Points are amassed at designated Sprint Lines along the route and by finishing in the top 15 places at the finish line of each stage. As one of the nations largest communications service providers of advanced VoIP, Internet, managed network, and hosted IT solutions, XO Communications will honor the cyclist who is similarly dedicated to reliability and speed.

Ski Utah King of the Mountain (KOM) Award Jersey

Color: Blue/Polka Dot

Utah is known for its mountains, with skiing in winter and cycling in summer. Look for the signature snowflakes to designate the Ski Utah KOM award jersey. This blue and white design offers a fresh take on a traditional polka-dot theme for the best climber in the peloton. It is the same snowflake used by Ski Utah to promote The Greatest Snow on Earth. This jersey is earned by collecting points at designated KOM locations along the grueling climbs of the Wasatch Front. Only the top three cyclists who cross the KOM climbs receive points, and the rider with the most accumulated points is awarded this jersey.

Subaru Best Young Rider Jersey

Color: Light Blue

Each day of the Tour of Utah, the up-and-coming riders of professional cycling compete for a race within the race to be named the Subaru Best Young Rider. Sponsored by the Wasatch Front Subaru Dealers, this prestigious jersey is available for any rider under the age of 24. This is determined based on the athletes overall placement at the finish line, the winner selected with the least amount of overall accumulated time. At the Tour of Utah, this athlete then earns the right to wear the light blue Subaru Best Young Rider jersey during the next days stage.

Vivint Most Aggressive Rider Jersey

Color: Orange

Vivint, a home automation/security company based in Provo, will recognize the rider who demonstrates extraordinary performance and courageous effort during each days contest. This would include someone who maintains a solo breakaway, attacks the peloton, bridges a significant gap or creates a decisive breakaway group. The Vivint Most Aggressive Rider award jersey is judged by a panel of national media and race entourage officials who will vote daily to determine the winner of this prestigious orange jersey.

Miller Lite Best Utah Rider Jersey

Color: Navy Blue

Unique to this event is a Miller Lite Best Utah Rider award jersey. Special recognition is extended to athletes who are natives of the Beehive State, or who call Utah home for training. From this pool of competitors, the one with the best overall time each day earns the dark blue jersey. This is the first year that Miller Lite has been involved as a sponsor for the Tour of Utah.

2011 Sports Nutrition News from the American College of Sports Medicine

Nancy Clark
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By Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD, Copyright July 2011

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is the world’s largest organization of sports medicine and exercise science professionals. At ACSM’s annual meeting in Denver, May 31-June 4, 2011, over 6,000 exercise scientists, sports dietitians, physicians and other health professionals gathered to share their research. Here are a few of the nutrition highlights. More highlights are available at www.acsm.org (click on news releases).

Looking for a way to get fit quickly? High intensity interval training (HIIT) is effective, though it’s hard work! Once you are fit, you can then reduce the exercise intensity to a more enjoyable (sustainable) level. Dr. Martin Gibala of McMaster University in Ontario does not believe HIIT is a heart attack waiting to happen, but recommends untrained people first get a proper medical check-up.

HIIT can be an effective part of a weight reduction program. Overweight men who did twenty minutes of HIIT (8 second sprints with 12 seconds recovery) 3 times per week for 12 weeks achieved a 7% drop in body fat. In another study with untrained, slightly overweight women ages 30-45, those who did high intensity exercise lost more weight and body fat than those who did lower intensity training. One benefit of high intensity exercise is it can suppress the appetite (temporarily) compared to lower intensity exercise.

HIIT can create a significant afterburn. Men who expended roughly 500 calories during 47 minutes of vigorous exercise continued to burn 225 extra calories in the next 18.5 hours.

When athletes lose weight, they lose muscle as well as fat. For example, soldiers during nine weeks of combat training lost 9 lbs (4.2 kg) body weight, of which one-third was muscle loss and two-thirds fat loss. They consumed about 15% fewer calories than required to maintain weight.

Even bodybuilders and figure competitors do not lose just body fat when they lean out. In the 12 weeks pre-competition, male bodybuilders lost about 4 lbs (1.8 kg) lean body mass and 11.5 lbs (5.2 kg) body fat. The female figure competitors lost about 5.5 lbs (2.6 kg) lean and about 6.4 lbs (2.9 kg) fat.

Why do women struggle harder than men to lose undesired body fat? Perhaps because they are women! In the animal kingdom, female animals generate less body beat after overfeeding compared to the males. Research with humans suggests similar energy conservation. When four men and four women were overfed ice cream for three days (150% of energy balance needs), the men burned off some of the extra calories while the women conserved energy.

Should you believe the calorie estimates displayed on exercise machines? Doubtful. The Precor EFX556i overestimated energy expenditure, particularly with women.

A novel way to burn a few extra calories is to sit on a stability ball while you are at work. At a call center (where 90% of the time is spent sitting), the employees who sat on the stability ball for five hours during the workday burned about 260 more calories per eight-hour shift. Theoretically, that could lead to loss of 26 pounds in a year! They burned about half a calorie more per minute sitting on a stability ball than sitting in a chair. The biggest barrier to using the stability balls was aggravation of pre-existing back pain.

Trained cyclists who consumed equal calories of either a sports drink or banana chunks during a 75-kilometer cycling time trial performed similarly. The banana, however, offered a beneficial anti-inflammatory response. Natural foods generally offer more benefits than engineered sports foods.

Chocolate milk is a popular recovery food that contains carbohydrates to refuel muscles and high quality protein to build and repair muscles. Both full-fat and skimmed chocolate milk offer similar recovery benefits.

Beer is a plant-based beverage that offers anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Marathoners who drank 1 to 1.5 liters of non-alcoholic beer per day for three weeks prior to a marathon and two weeks after the marathon experienced less post-race inflammation and fewer colds. Non-alcoholic beer offers a wise way to enjoy the natural high of exercise along with positive health benefits.

Have you ever wondered how much elite endurance athletes consume during an event? A post-event survey of Ironman triathletes, marathoners, long-distance cyclists, and professional bike racers suggests the Ironmen consumed about 70 grams (280 calories) of carbohydrate per hour; the cyclists, 53 grams (212 calories) and the marathoners, 35 grams (140 calories). The endurance athletes who consumed the most energy had the best performances.

How common are intestinal problems during endurance events? About 31% of the Ironman competitors reported GI serious problems, compared to 14% of the half-Ironman competitors, 4% of the cyclists, and 4% of the marathoners. Those with a history of GI distress reported the most symptoms, as well as those who exercised in higher heat.

If you are going to be competing in the heat, you might want to pre-cool your body. One way to do that is to enjoy an ice slurry. Runners who consumed about 14-ounces of ice slurry before they exercised in the heat were able to run about 1% faster during a 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) race.

Female athletes commonly restrict their food intake. Among 44 female high school cross-country runners (16 y.o.):

–39% restricted food, thinking being lighter would help them perform better.

–42% reported missed or absent menstrual periods in the past year-a sign of being under-fueled.

–They were eight times more likely to believe missing multiple periods was a sign they were in better shape.

These young women need to be educated about the medical problems associated with missed menstrual periods!

To resume menses, amenorrheic women need to correct the energy deficit. Those who drank a 360-calorie carbohydrate-protein supplement resumed menses, on average, in about 2.5 months (2 months). The longer they had been amenorrheic, the longer they needed to resume menses.

Utahns Excel at MTB Nationals; Clouse and Sparks Win Categories

Jared Eborn
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By Jared Eborn

With the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Cross Country National Championships just up the road in Sun Valley, Idaho, it came as no surprise that Utah was well represented at the starting line.

Accordingly, the Beehive State saw plenty of podiums ranging from the professionals to the elite amateurs — during the long weekend of racing in July.

Alex Grant overcame a less-than-favorable back-row start and pulled out an eighth-place finish in the mens pro race as he slowly reeled in one competitor after another.

“I always go to nationals or at least I try. I’ve been hoping for the top 10, and I’ve never gotten it before. I can’t believe I just did that, Grant told Cyclingnews.com after finishing less than eight minutes behind the winner, Todd Wells. I took a start on the back row, and I got caught in a traffic jam on the first lap and was walking up the climb. A lot of times in the cross country, I get caught up going as hard as I can in the first lap and then I go backwards. This time I moved up the whole time.”

Grants finish in the men’s race was followed by a solid 11th-place showing by Heber City’s Kathy Sherwin in the women’s pro field.

Park Citys Jordan Swenson earned a national title in the Super D 50+ field with a time of 22:27 almost 40 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor. Grant had another strong showing in the short race and placed ninth in the Men’s Pro division.

Keegan Swenson, a Park City youngster making a big name for himself in the past year or two, placed second in the Junior 15-18 Short Track race getting pipped at the line by Durangos Howard Grotts. Sherwin climbed the standings a few spots and brought home a fourth-place finish in the Women’s Pro Short Track race.

Swenson finished second to Grotts again in the Junior 17-18 Cross Country race.

Sandy’s Robbie Squire, fresh off his national championship performance in the U23 Men’s Road Race a month ago with his Chipotle Development team, dusted off his mountain bike and put a scare into the Mens U23 Cross Country race, placing third despite not having raced on dirt this season.

Showing they are still some of the fastest cyclists around, Utahs Laura Howat and Ellen Guthrie placed second and fourth, respectively, in the Womens 50-54 cross country field. Bountiful’s Brandon Cross showed his stuff in the Mens Cat 1 25-29 division with a seventh place finish, less than three minutes off the podium.

Dwight Hibdon, Park City, landed on the podium in the Mens 60-64 race with a third as did South Jordan’s Joel Quinn in the Mens 65-69 field. Swenson grabbed a sixth-place finish in the Mens Cat 1 50-54 competition while Farmington’s Aaron Campbell added another strong finish as he crossed the line in ninth in the Mens Cat 1 35-39 field.

Showing that Swenson and Squire aren’t the only young talent in the state, Springville’s Griffin Park placed ninth in the Junior 15-16 Cross Country race. Bountiful’s Zach Peterson placed third in the Junior 13-14 while Park City’s Haley Batten snagged fourth in the girls 13-14 race.

Park City duo Katie Clouse and Sydney Palmer-Ledger finished first and second, respectively, in the girls U10 race, adding to Utahs collection of Stars and Stripes jerseys.

Getting the victory parade started, though, was Brigham City’s Jason Sparks. The 42-year-old led a Utah sweep of the podium in the Mens Cat 2 40-44 field with Mark Messer and Ryan Nielsen flanking him atop the steps.

Utahns Set to Race Tour of Utah

Jared Eborn
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By Jared Eborn

For the growing number of professional cyclists calling the state of Utah home, the upcoming Tour of Utah isn’t just another bike race its their bike race.

And when it comes to racing, there’s virtually no place they’d rather compete than in their own back yard.

This is going to be great, Salt Lake City’s Jeff Louder said during a Tour of Utah sponsored Tour de France watching party. The race is getting big. Its going to be harder than ever.

The Tour of Utah already has a reputation of having perhaps the most difficult course in America. But with a new UCI status and a field littered with Pro Tour and Tour de France caliber riders, the competition will be more intense than ever.

It was already one of the toughest races in the world, Evan Hyde, a Park City resident and member of the RealCyclist.com pro team, said. But now, with teams like Radio Shack, Garmin and BMC sending riders, its just going to take everything up another level. Just having those guys around makes it that much more difficult.

Utah should have a loaded field of riders with local flavor. Not only will Louder, a past overall champion of the race, be riding with his BMC teammates, Hyde and the Utah-based RealCyclist.com squad will be attacking the roads of the Wasatch. Additionally, former Utahns Levi Leipheimer and Dave Zabriskie will return to their old stomping grounds with the Radio Shack and Garmin-Cervelo teams.

Bissell Pro Cycling is also racing and rising star Chase Pinkham will certainly want to make a solid showing for himself after a pair of Top 10 finishes at the U.S. Pro Championships and a Top 10 at the recent Cascade Classic in Oregon.

Tyler Wren, a Utahn for the past couple of years, will saddle up for his Jamis/Sutter Home team after winning the Crusher in the Tushar just a few weeks earlier. He could be joined by Cottonwood High grad Reid Mumford and the Kelly Benefit Strategies team.

Im really excited about how the race has grown, Louder said. Just seeing the quality of teams coming and knowing how hard the race already was makes me more excited to race.

Louder said he will probably be joined in Utah by BMC teammates Brent Bookwalter and George Hincapie. Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, however, is not making the trip to Utah.

Still, with teams like HTC-High Road and Liquigas sending squads, the Tour of Utah is going to be a stacked deck for UCI-Continental teams such as Bissell, United Healthcare and RealCyclist.com which features former Tour of Utah champ Francisco Mancebo.

Race Overview and Guide on Where to Watch

Cycling West
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Race Overview and Guide on Where to Watch

Prologue

Tuesday, August 9

Utah Olympic Park in Park City

Presented by KJZZ-TV and 1320 KFAN

In memory of Terry McGinnis

Length: 2 km (1.25 mi)

Start Time: 2 p.m.

Finish Time: 4:30 p.m.

Expo Hours: 1:30-4:30 p.m.

A prologue is a short time trial that helps establish the pecking order for the riders and teams as they head into the longer road stages. The Utah Olympic Park venue in Park City is a unique and wonderful location to watch a bike race. The course begins with a quick downhill before a crushing 2K hill climb to the top of the K120 Nordic Ski Jump.

Start: The start of the Prologue presented by KJZZ-TV and 1320 KFAN is a great place to watch the riders warm up. This is the time you should check out their high tech speed machines and hopefully grab an autograph or two. Also, make sure you take a few minutes to take in the Olympic Museum and perhaps youll see athletes training in the freestyle pool and Nordic jumps.

Finish: The top of the course provides a wonderful view of most of the course, as well as an eagles view of the entire Utah Olympic Park. If you dont feel like walking back down, make sure you get a ticket for the Zip Line or Alpine Slide and take the fast way down.

Stage 1

Wednesday, August 10

Ogden to Ogden

Presented by Miller Lite

Road Race

Length: 187 km (116 mi)

Start Time: 11 a.m.

Finish Time: 3:45-4:30 p.m.

XO Communications Sprints: At the finish line area for first and second laps

Ski Utah KOM: 3 laps over North Ogden Pass

Expo Hours: Start: 10:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m.

Start/Finish: With three circuits around the Ogden Valley, the start/finish on 25th street is a good place to watch the riders on the fastest portion of the course. The nearly 1.5-hour lap time affords plenty of time to grab a bite in one of Ogdens wonderful restaurants or check out the eclectic shops between laps.

North Ogden Pass: The riders will be waking up in the middle of the night screaming North Ogden Pass! Climbing this pass once can cause nightmares. Imagine what three times will do to a riders psyche. North Ogden Pass will quickly sort out those who are seriously hunting the overall.

Stage 2

Thursday, August 11

Xango to Provo

Presented by Adobe

Road Race

Length: 161 km (100 miles)

Start Time: 11 a.m.

Finish Time: 2:45-3:30 p.m.

XO Communications Sprints: Goshen and Santaquin

Expo Hours: 1:30-4:00 p.m.

Start: The start at XANGO corporate headquarters provides a slightly more relaxed atmosphere for spectators to get close to the riders, and to see just how they prepare for a long day in the saddle.

Finish: Stage Two is the only opportunity for the sprinters. The mostly flat stage will be quick and furious. Get to the finish line in front of the Vivint headquarters a bit early and grab a spot close to the finish line to see all the excitement and blur of color as the riders sprint in an excess of 40mph!

Stage 3

Friday, August 12

Miller Motorsports Park

Presented by UnitedHealthcare

Individual Time Trial

Length: 15.6 km (9.7 mi)

Start Time: 5 p.m.

Finish Time: 7:30-8 p.m.

Expo Hours: 5 8 p.m.

Start/Finish: This individual time trial is located at one of the premier motor sports racing facilities in the world, Miller Motorsports Park. All the action will be located in one spot, which is new this year: the Start/Finish area where you can see the riders warm up in the garages, check out the Expo area in the Hot Pit lane, listen to the live band or wander to the different locations around the track to view this wonderful circuit.

Stage 4

Saturday, August 13

Downtown Salt Lake City

Presented by University of Utah Health Care

Circuit Race

Length: 132 km (81.4 mi) – 11 laps

Start Time: 1 p.m.

Finish Time: 3:45-4:30 p.m.

Expo Hours: 12:30 pm.- 5 p.m.

Start/Finish: The Utah State Capitol Building provides a fitting backdrop to the start/finish of Stage Four in downtown Salt Lake City. With 11 circuits through the city and just as many trips up State Street, expect the peloton to get whittled down as the race whips through the streets of Salt Lake City.

Presidents Circle, University of Utah: Riders will hit the Horseshoe at full gas, then throttle down for a hard left turn, followed by one-block, 5% uphill, jockey-for-position slog just before hurtling downhill and back to downtown. This shady, leafy park in front of the 100 year-old U of U Park Administration Building is a great place to chill for 11 thrilling circuits. Bring your own lawn chairs and have fun.

State Street: With its short steep pitches and narrow road, State Street is a great place to watch the racers turn inside-out as they fight the violent 11 percent climb up to the Utah State Capitol. After the riders finish their 10th lap, start making your way up to the start/finish at the Capitol for the exciting conclusion to the race. (Insider tip: The right turn off of South Temple on to State will pinch the peloton from three lanes down to barely two. The Eagle Gate corner will be a great place to watch some world-class bike handlers in action.)

Stage 5

Sunday, August 14

Park City to Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort

Presented by Zions Bank

Road Race

Length: 161 km (100 mi)

Start Time: 11 a.m.

Finish Time: 3-4 p.m.

XO Communications Sprints: Kamas and Midway

Ski Utah KOM: Alpine Loop and Suncrest

Expo Hours: 12:30 4:30 p.m.

Start: The signature Queen stage of the Tour of Utah is Stage 4 presented by Zions Bank, and it will be worth the travel time to jump around on this course for multiple viewings. Start in Newpark area of Park City.

Mile 10: Blaze ahead of the peloton and watch them crest the first of many climbs today. With Jordanelle as the backdrop, this is one great photo opportunity.

Mile 32: Using the farm roads, get ahead of the caravan again and make your way to the second Hot Spot sprint of the day will be in Midway.

Mile 56: Although just about any spot along this scenic byway called Alpine Loop will be wonderful viewing, the KOM is prime viewing and has plenty of parking.

Mile 76: The top of Traverse Ridge in Draper will surely draw big crowds and great cycling; expect the top guys to fly over this climb in the big ring.

Mile 87: If you dont plan to drive to the finish, this little bump in Sandy offers great viewing as well. Park on one of the side streets and set your lawn chair out on Wasatch and listen to the coverage on KFAN and there will be live web cast on the Tour web site.

Mile 91: Dont believe the sign. Tanner Flat is anything but flat. This is the steepest section of the climb to Snowbird and has quickly become the favorite viewing spot for the Tour Fanatic. Pack a lunch and fill a cooler.

Finish: Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is the place to be on Sunday, August 14 if you are a cycling fan. Be sure to head up before 2:00pm or face a closed road.

<a href=”https://www.cyclingwest.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Stage-01.jpg”><img class=”size-medium wp-image-2501″ alt=”Tour of Utah 2011 Stage 1″ src=”https://www.cyclingwest.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Stage-01-219×300.jpg” width=”219″ height=”300″ /></a> Tour of Utah 2011 Stage 1 <a href=”https://www.cyclingwest.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Stage-02.jpg”><img class=”size-medium wp-image-2502″ alt=”Tour of Utah 2011 Stage 2″ src=”https://www.cyclingwest.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Stage-02-216×300.jpg” width=”216″ height=”300″ /></a> Tour of Utah 2011 Stage 2 <a href=”https://www.cyclingwest.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Stage-04-pb-Univ-of-Utah-Health-Care.jpg”><img class=”size-medium wp-image-2503″ alt=”Tour of Utah 2011 Stage 4″ src=”https://www.cyclingwest.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Stage-04-pb-Univ-of-Utah-Health-Care-219×300.jpg” width=”219″ height=”300″ /></a> Tour of Utah 2011 Stage 4 <a href=”https://www.cyclingwest.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Stage-05.jpg”><img class=”size-medium wp-image-2504″ alt=”Tour of Utah Stage 2011 Stage 5″ src=”https://www.cyclingwest.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Stage-05-218×300.jpg” width=”218″ height=”300″ /></a> Tour of Utah Stage 2011 Stage 5

Bike Utah News

Cycling West
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By Brad Woods

Bike Utah is staying very busy as the summer starts to wind down. We will continue to be at rides and events throughout the state, and our fall Get Lit campaign is moving forward. Bike Utah will be working with public safety officials around the state to distribute lights and education to those who are riding at night without them, and who can’t afford them. Bike Utah is also working on collecting information for our 111 miles in 2011 campaign. If you know of bike lanes, trails, single track, or other bike facilities that have been newly constructed this year, they would like to hear about it. Bike Utah is also working on the planning for the 2012 Utah Bike Summit, and they are working with the State of Utah on several projects that we’ll talk about in the coming months, so keep and eye on this column. Bike Utah is always looking for volunteers and members to add their voice and make a difference for cycling in Utah. If you would like to help us, visit bikeutah.org and become a member. Every voice counts in the effort to make Utah a safe and beautiful place to ride.

The Crusher Lives up to Its Name

Adam Lisonbee
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The Crusher Lives up to Its Name

The earliest editions of the Tour de France featured notoriously bad roads. Indeed, roads can only be used in the most general, rudimentary sense. The high mountain passes that were introduced into the Tour in 1910 and 1911 were crossed using little more than dirt tracks that would later become the iconic paved and maintained climbs that the race follows today. New technology like variable geared bikes and better tires helped those riders cross the mountain terrain. But those bikes, and the roads themselves, are primitive by todays standards. Nevertheless, that crusher spirit of adventure and perseverance still lingers among bike racers. The desire to climb into the remote corners of the mountains still drives them to do the impossible. To ride the unrideable.

Jeff Louder and Tyler Wren
Jeff Louder and Tyler Wren climbing towards the second King of the
Mountain. Photo: Chris See

Burke Swindlehurst set out to capture that spirit with his creation of the Crusher in the Tushars. A 70-mile race that follows in the tradition of the early Tours de France, the Crusher combined the best elements of road and mountain racing. Like many of the endurance cyclocross races that are becoming so popular throughout the United States, the Crusher course included paved and dirt roads, but with a Tushar twist-10,400 feet of elevation gain in the shadows of the 12,000 foot peaks above Beaver, Utah.

The result? An instant classic.

It was the hardest day Ive ever had on a bike, admitted Joshua McCarrell, not the worst, but definitely the hardest.

Crusher in the Tusher
Blaugren, Vestal, Louder and Wren form the lead group on the way out of Circleville. Photo: Chris See

The idea for a roadirt race in the Tushar mountains first occurred to me in 1996, when I was training for the Tour of the Gila, explained Swindlehurst. I explored the Tushars on my road bike, including the unpaved climb out of Junction, Utah, that became the King and Queen of the Mountain line in the race. It was a brutal day, but ever since then, Ive wanted to organize a race up there.

One hundred eighty racers lined up for the first running of the Crusher in the Tushars. And none was left wanting. The event organization, course markings, and marshaling, and volunteers were all superior. The countless hours and tireless effort that Burke and his crew put into the race paid off. What an amazing way to spend a weekend, Eric Bright said. The volunteers were awesome, the terrain was amazing, and the event was famously organized. Jake Pantone claimed that it was one of the best events Ive participated in.

Its glowing praise for an event that required racers to pedal not once, but twice, from 6,500 feet to over 10,000 feet. The course snaked through the Tushar Mountains on the well-maintained dirt roads and into the high country of the Fishlake National Forest. The views from the top were amazing. But I knew that we had to ride down to the valley far below, and climb all the way back again, lamented Todd Winner. That was harder mentally than it was physically. Almost.

Preparation for the July 16 event began long before anyone registered. I really havent slept in six months, Swindlehurst said. But, Ive also had a lot of help. The volunteers for this event have put in as many hours as I have, and they deserve a heartfelt thanks from me, and everyone who raced.

Training the legs and lungs was only a small part of the race-day experience for those brave enough to line up in the inaugural race. The important and entertaining question of which bike gripped the field of racers like a plague. Racers debated the potential merits-and drawbacks-of cyclocross bikes, mountain bikes, and traditional road bikes. In the end, the start line was a tapestry of steel, carbon, aluminum, and rubber. Tires of every imaginable width and tread pattern were attached to frames of every imaginable design. Racers used rigid forks, suspension forks, flat bars, drop bars, mustache bars, cantilever brakes, v-brakes, and disc brakes.

On the start line, everyone twitched nervously, wondering if they had made the right choice. No matter what bike youre on, exclaimed race-day emcee Bruce Bilodeau, At some point it will be the wrong one! In the end, the deciding factor in the race was not the bike, but the legs.

The deep pro field included Jeff Louder (BMC), Paul Mach (Bissell Pro Cycling), Tim Johnson (Cannondale-CyclocrossWorld.com), Tyler Wren (Boo Cycles), Zack Vestal (VeloNews), and Tinker Juarez (Cannondale). The womens pro field was headlined by six-time Olympic medalist Clara Hughes (Right to Play). Many local bike racers rounded out the pro and amateur fields, as well as riders from California, Colorado, and even as far away as Georgia. It was clear from the outset that this race would live up to its name.

The attacks began immediately. As the pavement turned to dirt, the grade of the road steepened, and the groups broke apart. Eventually, a small escape of elite riders established themselves off the front. Paul Mach, who finished fifth on the day, was surprised when the attacks went so early. I thought wed wait until the second big climb of the day to go, but the action started early. This was definitely a race.

Earning (unofficial) stripes for the days most aggressive rider was the 38 year-old Boulder, Colorado resident Benjamin Blaugrand (Team Juwi Solar/First Solar). His relentless attacks started early in the day and continued throughout the race. Benjamins efforts rewarded him with a podium finish (third place) and the elusive title of King of the Mountains.

Tyler Wren was able to separate himself from the lead group over the last ten miles of the race to secure a solo victory. He absolutely blazed the course, an impressed Swindlehurst said. I expected times in the upper four-hour range, but Tyler and his chasers were really quick, coming in at about four and a half hours. Bravo to everyone involved for making this one of the most memorable sufferfests of my career. Wren said afterward. To be the inaugural winner of his spectacular event was really something special. Zack Vestal was second, with Benjamin Blaugrand completing the podium in third.

In the womens pro race, Clara Hughes spent much of her day off the front. She rode through most of the mens amateur fields-whom she started behind-and finished with not only the womens win, but also the title of Queen of the Mountains. Her time of 5:21 was the 19th fastest time among all racers. Rachel Cieslewicz and Tana Stone rounded out the podium, finishing second and third respectively.

Behind the elite field, the races within the race were also playing out. Amateur riders were trading places along the mountainous route, racing hard and pedaling furiously through the pine forests and aspen glades. This race was unlike anything Ive ever done before, said Joao Battaglia. It was truly a roadirt race.

When the day finally ended, the energy and excitement were palpable. I had so much fun at this race, Alex Kim said. It had a little of everything. I had friends come out to race that I havent seen in 20 years, said Swindlehurst. I couldnt be more thrilled. The race was exactly what I envisioned-road, mountain bike, and cyclocross racers all on the bike of their choice, at the same event. I cant wait to do it all again next year. Hes not alone in those feelings. I wish it were still yesterday! Bruce Bilodeau said the day after the event. Wren summed up the day well when he said that the aspects of cycling I love the most are climbing, cyclocross and suffering, so I will definitely be back for next year’s Crusher.

In the days since the race ended, Burke has put a new spin on the traditional race-day raffle, giving out prizes via the events Facebook page to people who had unique experiences at the race. Hes handed out awards for the Most Crusher Bike, the Best Sandbagger, the Lanterne Rouge, and even an award to the racer with the best Crustache.

Truly, the Crusher has become a unique and special event. Will it grow into the vaunted spectacle that Le Tour has? Only time will tell. But the crusher spirt is alive and well in the Tushar mountains. Start training now. The 2012 version of the race is only a year away.

For complete results, visit www.tusharcrusher.com.

Cary Smith and Amanda Carey Win PC50

Shannon Boffeli
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Cary Smith and Amanda Carey Win PC50
Amanda Carey, Evelyn Dong
Amanda Carey leads Evelyn Dong on the opening climb. Photos: Shannon
Boffeli

By Shannon Boffeli

The Utah State Championship Series (USCS) visited Park City, once again, for the third race of the four race series. This time offering up a 50-miler to challenge their riders.

The PC 50, as the race is known, proved to be the most popular event yet on the USCS calendar, selling out all 300 spots prior to the race start. Race day conditions couldnt have been better as riders rolled off the line at 7AM to warm temps, clear skies, and perfectly tacky dirt.

After a short neutral start riders were set loose on a steep fire road climb leading to their first taste of the renowned Park City singletrack.

An early lead group including local rider Nate Miller (Dollys), Cary Smith (Hammer Nutrition), Coloradoan Brad Bingham (Moots), and newly crowned U-23 national road champion Rob Squire (Bingham Cyclery) surged off the front.

The leaders stayed together until feed zone 1 when Squire and Smith pulled away on the steep Daly Canyon climb.

Once up front Rob Squire showed why hes a national champion, crushing the climbs and tearing through the one track, the Binghams rider opened up some breathing room on the competition.

Meanwhile Smith rode his own pace never falling more than a minute behind the much younger leader.

Robbie Squire
Robbie Squire finishing with a mashed pedal. Photos: Shannon
Boffeli

Behind the two leaders things were starting to shake up. The top-10 positions changed constantly between a large chase group including Utahs best mountain bike racers including Roosters teammates Jonny Hintze, Quin Bingham, Brent Pontius, and Jake Pantone. Nate Miller was dropping back as riders like Casey Zaugg and Tyson Apostol were surging through the group with Apostol doing damage on the road climbs.

Experienced endurance racer Chris Holley (Trek 29er) looked to be having an off day sitting outside the top-10 at the halfway point.

At the second feed, roughly 30 miles into the race, Squire held a comfortable lead of just over a minute on Smith. Soon after leaving the feed, disaster struck as Squire crushed his right pedal on a rock. Still able to pedal, he continued on but Squire couldnt actually clip his foot in making the rocky, technical descents in the last 15 miles of racing even more difficult.

After entering the Iron Mountain section of the PC 50 Squire was doing everything he could to stay connected with his bike. “The climbs were OK but in the rocky descents, especially on that section of Mid-Mountain (Iron Mountain) my foot was just flying off the pedal, Squire said after the race.

With the leader struggling, Cary Smith quickly closed the gap and grabbed the front of the race. Once out front, Smith turned the heat on, powering his way through the final sections of the course and across the finish line over two minutes up. Smith took home the win and a check for over $900.

Squire held on for second place battered with a crushed pedal and shredded shorts after snagging them just feet from the finish.

Third place went to Chris Holley who turned in a near-miraculous ride. Holley resurrected his ride after feed zone two and turned in perhaps the most impressive late race surge ever witnessed. Holley refused to give up after struggling in the mid-portion of the race. The Trek 29er rider stayed on the gas and ultimately moved from outside the top-10 to third in less than 20 miles.

Jonny Hintze took fourth leading another impressive ride from the Roosters team as the final podium spot was decided in a sprint between teammates Bingham and Pantone with Bingham crossing in fifth.

In the womens race, National Ultra Endurance leader Amanda Carey (Kenda/Felt) entered as the overwhelming favorite. Carey has been all but unbeatable this season especially in longer endurance races.

At the start, Carey didnt disappoint. She took the lead early and excelled on the road climbs using her power to lengthen her gap on second place.

While the race leader was no surprise, her closest competitor certainly was. Evelyn Dong, who recently relocated to Park City, was a revelation in the PC 50. An experienced cross country ski racer, Dong showed she has remarkable skills on the mountain bike as well. Her fitness obviously carried over but the PC 50 course is full of tight, twisting, and technical singletrack that requires the best in handling skills and the relative newcomer proved to be up to the task.

Despite the impressive challenger, Amanda Carey proved once again to be unstoppable. Carey never appeared to be under pressure and rode a confident and calculated race from start to finish. Carey took the win with a time of 5.01.17 and the first place check for $849.

Evelyn Dong crossed the line just over 3 minutes back to take second.

Third place went to Trek 29er rider KC Holley who, like her husband, turned in a strong performance in the second half of the race to take third place. KC chased down and passed accomplished XTERRA racer Emma Garrard (Specialized) just miles before the finish.

Garrard took fourth ahead of an elated Jenelle Kremer (Revolution/Peak Fasteners) who took fifth.

Race Notes

In the week prior to the PC 50, race officials had been battling with local Park City residents moving the course markings. On race day, officials were again forced to compete against locals actively sabotaging the course while the race was in progress. While riders were forced off course in one short section, race officials located and fixed at least four other critical areas of tampering just before the riders arrived. Due to their quick work racing was not significantly impacted.

Who to Watch – 2011 Tour of Utah

Cycling West
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Who to Watch – 2011 Tour of Utah
Jeff Louder
Look for Utah rider and 2009 overall winner Jeff Louder (shown
here in the 2010 tour) to excel. Photo: Dave Iltis

Levi Leipheimer (Team RadioShack): If you watched the 2010 Tour of Utah, you know that the depending champion will be the one to beat. Levi is having a great 2011 season, having won the 2011 Tour de Suisse and placing 2nd at the Amgen Tour of California. Levi placed 3rd in the Tour de France in 2007 and won the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics. Levi graduated from Rowland Hall High School in Salt Lake City.

Tejay van Garderen (HTC-High Road): At only 22 years of age, Tejay is one of the bright up and coming stars in American cycling. A 10 time US Junior National Champion, Tejay had a break out year in 2010 placing 3rd in the Criterium Dauphine Libere, nearly upsetting Tour de France champioin Alberto Contador in the Prologue. Tejay finish 6th Overall in this years Amgen Tour of California. Tejay participated in his first Tour de France in July.

Francisco Mancebo (RealCyclist.com): The 2009 Tour of Utah champion and 2010 runner, returns on a new team and on the top of the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar as the individual points leader (through June 2011). This year, Francisco has won the overall classification at Tour of the Gila, Tour de Beauce, Sea Otter Classic and the Redlands Classic. A native of Spain, he finished in the top 10 of the Tour de France five times (2000, 2002-05), and was 3rd overall at the 2004 and 2005 Vuelta a Espana.

Jeff Louder (Team BMC): Utah Native and 2008 Tour of Utah champion, Jeff Louder returns hoping to continue his strong showing in front of the home crowd. Jeff put on an amazing display as he won the Park City criterium solo in front of 15,000 screaming fans packed into Old Town Park City.

George Hincapie (Team BMC): George will be returning to Utah after starting his record tying 16th Tour de France in July. George has been on 8 Tour de France winning teams as a super domestique for both Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador.

David Zabriskie (Garmin-Cervlo): Another Utah native, David, returns home with the Garmin-Cervelo team. David is a time trial specialist, winning the US Pro National Championship five times. David and his Garmin-Cervelo teammates won this years Tour de France Team Time Trial.

Chase Pinkham (BISSELL Pro Cycling): With the Tour of Utah as one of his favorite races, look for Salt Lake City resident Chase to display his climbing prowess on his home turf. In only his second year as a professional cyclist, Chase scored top ten finishes in both the time trial and road race at this year USA Cycling Professional Championships.

Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit StrategiesOptumHealth): A resident of Sandy, Utah, Reid is a time trial specialist who recently placed in the top 10 at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Reid has a Ph.D. in high-energy particle physics from Johns Hopkins University.

Evan Hyde (RealCyclist.com): A second-year pro, Evan grew up in Alaska and now resides in Park City, Utah. He scored a top 5 finish in the overall at the 2011 Tour of Tucson. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, he is competing for a new team, which is sponsored by Utah-based RealCyclist.com.

Tyler Wren (Jamis/Sutter Home): All-arounder Tyler lives in Salt Lake City-on the Tour of Utahs circuit course, in fact, near the University of Utah. Tyler was named winner of Stage 9 of the 2011 Vuelta Ciclista de Chile, considered the “queen” stage of the 10-day, 750-mile race. Tyler placed 3rd in G.C. at the recent San Dimas Stage Race. In the 2010 Tour of Utah, Tyler placed 10th overall.

Peter Stetina (Garmin-Cervlo): Up and comer Peter has his sights set on the Tour of Utah, and has been training in Colorado in preparation. In his Grand Tour debut at this years Giro dItalia, Peter was the top North American finisher placing a respectable 22nd and took third in the Young Rider Classification. He is the 2010 U.S. U23 Time Trial Champion.

Matthew Busche (Team RadioShack): Matthew is the 2011 USA Cycling Professional Road Race Champion, and placed third in the U.S. Professional Time Trial Championship. In 2010, he was third in the Tour of Denmark. At the 2009 Tour of Utah, he placed seventh overall, which was his first race as a professional. He is a graduate of Luther College in Iowa.

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