Canadian James Piccoli Wins 2019 Tour of Utah Prologue

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By Lyne Lamoureux – SNOWBIRD, Utah (August 12, 2019) – Canadian James Piccoli of Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling was the fastest man at Snowbird Resort in Monday’s opening day for the 2019 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. Piccoli won the 3.2-mile (5.3-kilometer) Prologue presented by Zions Bank in a time of 8 minutes, 37 seconds.

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“We’re really happy that we came away with the first stage of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. It’s a great confidence boost going into the week. For sure, seven seconds is not going to be the difference this week between winning and losing with some of the climbs coming up, which are quite beautiful, but also quite hard. But it’s a great way to start the week,” said Piccoli. He will wear the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies Overall Leader’s jersey on Tuesday.

James Piccoli (Elevate KHS) on his way to winning the Prologue time trial stage of the 2019 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah on August 12, 2019. Photo by Dave Iltis

The Tour of Utah was instrumental in Piccoli’s cycling career, after all, he wouldn’t still be racing if it wasn’t for his results at the 2017 event.

“I’d like to personally thank everyone from Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment for putting their faith in us two years ago. What they don’t know is that they saved my cycling career,” added Piccoli, who finished 10th overall at the 2017 Tour of Utah. “I was probably going to stop cycling and then the team, Elevate-KHS, got an invite here (in Utah), and they signed me for this race specifically. If Elevate-KHS wasn’t invited to this race, I probably wouldn’t be a cyclist right now.”

American Lawson Craddock of EF Education First finished six seconds back in second place. Romanian time trial champion Serghei Tvetcov of Worthy Pro Cycling, who was third overall in 2017, finished in third, half a second behind Craddock.

Lawson Craddock (EF) finished 2nd in the Prologue time trial stage of the 2019 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah on August 12, 2019. Photo by Dave Iltis
Serghei Tvetcov (Worthy Cycling) took 3rd in the Prologue time trial stage of the 2019 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah on August 12, 2019. Photo by Dave Iltis

The 27th rider out of the gate, Kyle Murphy (Rally Cycling) set the early fast time of 8.49.50 which put him in the hot seat for over 50 minutes, as he watched 53 riders finish slower than his time. Craddock, the 80th rider to start set the new fast time until Piccoli flew around the course, averaging a speed of 22.9 mph.

Pacing was key on the out-and-back course, half of it climbing on the steep pitches in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The course followed Bypass Road to snake around The Cliff Lodge. Once back on Little Cottonwood Creek Road, racers put on the afterburners for the 1.5-mile descent to the finish line, located at Entry 2 behind The Lodge at Snowbird.

“It was a really tough prologue. I came to see it with our team Elevate-KHS a couple of days ago and since then I’ve ridden it a couple of times, trying to refine my pacing strategy,” Piccoli explained. “It was quite complicated with the altitude here at Snowbird and the corners, and the tricky up and down pacing strategy so I rode it a couple of times, a couple of times hard, and every time I got closer to what I wanted to do and today it ended up working out.”

Tvetcov noted that the final sharp left turn  on the downhill stretch to the finish was tricky. “You come from really steep downhill and you need to brake all the way to zero miles per hour and then start again. That’s what happened, I tried to keep as fast as possible,” he said. “It’s a great course.”

Craddock agreed that it was a “tough course” and that altitude also made it even more difficult.

“You have to really take that into account when you’re preparing for a race like this, preparing your equipment and your pacing strategy,” Craddock said of the altitude. “For me, I knew that it was better to be a little bit conservative on the first little climb, then really lay down over the last kilometer and a half of climbing and that’s what I did. I think I paced it pretty well, it took me about an hour and a half to not feel like I wanted to vomit. Unfortunately it just wasn’t enough to win but congrats to James.”

On a picture-perfect day with a backdrop of Mount Superior in the Wasatch Mountains, Piccoli bested 112 other riders on the opening day of racing for the weeklong stage race.  He had no idea he was on his way to victory.

“I was just riding really hard,” Piccoli stated. “You don’t have too much time to think of stuff like that, it’s such a short prologue. I mean if it’s longer then you can do splits to pace yourself. Today was really short and intense so I wasn’t really aiming for splits with people and I didn’t have a radio today. I just wanted to ride and execute our strategy and we did.”

A total of 25 riders are now separated by 30 seconds at the top of the standings, making for an exciting opening to the 15th edition of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.

Joe Dombrowski of EF Education First, the overall winner of the 2015 Tour of Utah, is 15 seconds back in seventh place. The 2017 Tour of Utah champion, Canadian time trial champion Rob Britton of Rally Cycling, is in 14th place, 18 seconds down. Lachlan Morton of EF Education First, the 2016 winner, sits in 16th place, 21 seconds back.

Finishing fourth, Portugal under-23 national champion João Almeida of Hagens Berman Axeon claimed the WCF Insurance Best Young Rider jersey, and the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Most Aggressive Rider jersey. 303 Project’s Antonio Baca of Mexico was voted the America First Credit Union Fan Favorite, in the category of International Rider. Tvetcov claimed the Utah Sports Commission Sprint jersey and Craddock was awarded the Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain jersey.

True to its nickname as “America’s Toughest Stage Race,” the 2019 Tour of Utah will provide 37,882 feet of elevation gain over 477 miles of racing on Aug. 12-18. Racing continues Tuesday with Stage 1 presented by Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, taking place in North Logan City. Stage 1 features a completely new 86.9-mile (139.9-km) course that traverses the western slopes of the Bear River Mountains for 4,310 feet of elevation gain. The peloton will make two circuits around Little Mountain, passing less than 10 miles south of the Idaho state line before returning to North Logan City for five fast and furious finishing laps.

RESULTS AND STANDINGS

Prologue presented by Zions Bank – Top 10

  1. PICCOLI James (CAN) ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING 0:08:37.590
  2. CRADDOCK Lawson (USA) EF EDUCATION FIRST 0:08:43.140 +0:00:06
  3. TVETCOV Serghei (ROU) WORTHY PRO CYCLING 0:08:43.590 
  4. ALMEIDA João (POR) HAGENS BERMAN AXEON 0:08:43.860
  5. MURPHY Kyle (USA) RALLY UHC CYCLING 0:08:49.500 +0:00:12
  6. MANNION Gavin (USA) RALLY UHC CYCLING 0:08:52.130 +0:00:15
  7. DOMBROWSKI Joseph Lloyd (USA) EF EDUCATION FIRST 0:08:52.200
  8. BOIVIN Guillaume (CAN) ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY 0:08:53.060 +0:00:16
  9. SWIRBUL Keegan (USA) WORTHY PRO CYCLING 0:08:54.260 +0:00:17
  10. MCCABE Travis (USA) WORTHY PRO CYCLING 0:08:54.980 +0:00:17

AWARD JERSEYS

  • Larry H. Miller Group of Companies Overall leader – James Piccoli (CAN), Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling
  • Utah Sports Commission Sprint leader – Serghei Tvetcov (ROM), Worthy Pro Cycling
  • Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain – Lawson Craddock (USA), EF Education First
  • WCF Insurance Best Young Rider – João Almeida (POR), Hagens Berman Axeon
  • Larry H. Miller Dealerships Most Aggressive Rider – João Almeida (POR), Hagens Berman Axeon
  • America First Credit Union Fan Favorite – Antonio Baca (MEX), 303 Project

FULL RESULTS

2019 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah Prologue presented by Zions Bank at Snowbird Resort 

Position Bib No. Rider Team Country Time Gap
1 81 PICCOLI James ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING CAN 0:08:37 0:00:00
2 2 CRADDOCK Lawson EF EDUCATION FIRST USA 0:08:43 0:00:06
3 77 TVETCOV Serghei WORTHY PRO CYCLING ROU 0:08:43 0:00:06
4 51 * ALMEIDA João HAGENS BERMAN AXEON POR 0:08:43 0:00:06
5 26 MURPHY Kyle RALLY UHC CYCLING USA 0:08:49 0:00:12
6 25 MANNION Gavin RALLY UHC CYCLING USA 0:08:52 0:00:15
7 3 DOMBROWSKI Joseph Lloyd EF EDUCATION FIRST USA 0:08:52 0:00:15
8 33 BOIVIN Guillaume ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY CAN 0:08:53 0:00:16
9 76 SWIRBUL Keegan WORTHY PRO CYCLING USA 0:08:54 0:00:17
10 75 MCCABE Travis WORTHY PRO CYCLING USA 0:08:54 0:00:17
11 35 HERMANS Ben ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY BEL 0:08:55 0:00:18
12 101 * HOEHN Alex AEVOLO USA 0:08:55 0:00:18
13 112 BASSETT Stephen WILDLIFE GENERATION PRO CYCLING P/B MAXXIS USA 0:08:55 0:00:18
14 21 BRITTON Robert RALLY UHC CYCLING CAN 0:08:56 0:00:19
15 16 STETINA Peter TREK-SEGAFREDO USA 0:08:57 0:00:20
16 1 MORTON Lachlan EF EDUCATION FIRST AUS 0:08:58 0:00:21
17 57 * VERMAERKE Kevin HAGENS BERMAN AXEON USA 0:08:59 0:00:22
18 4 HOWES Alex EF EDUCATION FIRST USA 0:09:00 0:00:23
19 135 BOWDEN Scott TEAM BRIDGELANE AUS 0:09:01 0:00:24
20 123 RHIM Brendan ARAPAHOE|HINCAPIE POWERED BY BMC USA 0:09:04 0:00:27
21 146 EASTER Griffin 303 PROJECT USA 0:09:04 0:00:27
22 22 HUFFMAN Evan RALLY UHC CYCLING USA 0:09:05 0:00:28
23 13 EG Niklas TREK-SEGAFREDO DEN 0:09:06 0:00:29
24 32 BADILATTI Matteo ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY SUI 0:09:06 0:00:29
25 133 MCCORMICK Hayden TEAM BRIDGELANE NZL 0:09:07 0:00:30
26 132 SUNDERLAND Dylan TEAM BRIDGELANE AUS 0:09:08 0:00:31
27 155 SAMUEL Travis DC BANK PRO CYCLING TEAM CAN 0:09:09 0:00:32
28 24 ELLSAY Nigel RALLY UHC CYCLING CAN 0:09:10 0:00:33
29 82 BASSETTI Samuel ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING USA 0:09:11 0:00:34
30 72 COWAN Alexander WORTHY PRO CYCLING CAN 0:09:11 0:00:34
31 137 COOPER Joseph TEAM BRIDGELANE NZL 0:09:11 0:00:34
32 31 AVILA VANEGAS Edwin Alcibiades ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY COL 0:09:11 0:00:34
33 41 QUINTANA Dayer NERI SOTTOLI SELLE ITALIA KTM COL 0:09:12 0:00:35
34 52 * ANDERSON Edward HAGENS BERMAN AXEON USA 0:09:13 0:00:36
35 151 DANIEL Gregory DC BANK PRO CYCLING TEAM USA 0:09:14 0:00:37
36 84 CHEYNE Jordan ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING CAN 0:09:14 0:00:37
37 106 * ROJAS CAMPOS Gabriel Francisco AEVOLO CRC 0:09:14 0:00:37
38 105 * BRUNNER Eric AEVOLO USA 0:09:14 0:00:37
39 124 PUTT Tanner ARAPAHOE|HINCAPIE POWERED BY BMC USA 0:09:14 0:00:37
40 14 * LOPEZ Juan Pedro TREK-SEGAFREDO ESP 0:09:14 0:00:37
41 86 SIMPSON George ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING USA 0:09:15 0:00:38
42 44 SCHÖNBERGER Sebastian NERI SOTTOLI SELLE ITALIA KTM AUT 0:09:16 0:00:39
43 125 WOLFE Benjamin ARAPAHOE|HINCAPIE POWERED BY BMC USA 0:09:17 0:00:40
44 111 BOARDMAN Samuel WILDLIFE GENERATION PRO CYCLING P/B MAXXIS USA 0:09:18 0:00:41
45 34 EARLE Nathan ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY AUS 0:09:18 0:00:41
46 136 * LINDORFF Tyler TEAM BRIDGELANE AUS 0:09:18 0:00:41
47 152 FRAYRE Eder DC BANK PRO CYCLING TEAM MEX 0:09:18 0:00:41
48 55 * REVARD Thomas HAGENS BERMAN AXEON USA 0:09:19 0:00:42
49 147 EASTER Cullen 303 PROJECT USA 0:09:20 0:00:43
50 23 MAGNER Tyler RALLY UHC CYCLING USA 0:09:21 0:00:44
51 27 ORONTE Emerson RALLY UHC CYCLING USA 0:09:21 0:00:44
52 95 ALARCÓN CARES Pablo Andrés CANEL’S – SPECIALIZED CHI 0:09:22 0:00:45
53 47 MARENGO Umberto NERI SOTTOLI SELLE ITALIA KTM ITA 0:09:22 0:00:45
54 45 BONGIORNO Francesco Manuel NERI SOTTOLI SELLE ITALIA KTM ITA 0:09:23 0:00:46
55 63 ZACCANTI Filippo NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-FAIZANE’ ITA 0:09:24 0:00:47
56 87 YOUNG Eric ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING USA 0:09:24 0:00:47
57 71 CLARKE Jonathan WORTHY PRO CYCLING AUS 0:09:24 0:00:47
58 15 REIJNEN Kiel TREK-SEGAFREDO USA 0:09:24 0:00:47
59 83 CASTILLO SOTO Ulises Alfredo ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING MEX 0:09:24 0:00:47
60 42 VELASCO Simone NERI SOTTOLI SELLE ITALIA KTM ITA 0:09:24 0:00:47
61 131 HARPER Chris TEAM BRIDGELANE AUS 0:09:24 0:00:47
62 164 * BAUER Dominik TEAM DAUNER|AKKON GER 0:09:25 0:00:48
63 73 GRANIGAN Noah WORTHY PRO CYCLING USA 0:09:26 0:00:49
64 122 FLAKSIS Andzs ARAPAHOE|HINCAPIE POWERED BY BMC LAT 0:09:26 0:00:49
65 103 * VOLLMER Andrew AEVOLO USA 0:09:26 0:00:49
66 6 WHELAN James EF EDUCATION FIRST AUS 0:09:27 0:00:50
67 53 * DAVIS Cole HAGENS BERMAN AXEON USA 0:09:27 0:00:50
68 144 BACA Antonio 303 PROJECT MEX 0:09:27 0:00:50
69 61 CANOLA Marco NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-FAIZANE’ ITA 0:09:27 0:00:50
70 74 JEAN Emile WORTHY PRO CYCLING CAN 0:09:28 0:00:51
71 43 ZARDINI Edoardo NERI SOTTOLI SELLE ITALIA KTM ITA 0:09:28 0:00:51
72 157 ZIMMER Matthew DC BANK PRO CYCLING TEAM USA 0:09:29 0:00:52
73 56 RICE Michael HAGENS BERMAN AXEON AUS 0:09:30 0:00:53
74 62 SANTAROMITA Ivan NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-FAIZANE’ ITA 0:09:30 0:00:53
75 143 STEPHENS Austin 303 PROJECT USA 0:09:30 0:00:53
76 127 OIEN Justin Alexander ARAPAHOE|HINCAPIE POWERED BY BMC USA 0:09:31 0:00:54
77 134 TOOVEY Ayden TEAM BRIDGELANE AUS 0:09:32 0:00:55
78 11 MOSCA Jacopo TREK-SEGAFREDO ITA 0:09:33 0:00:56
79 66 FIORELLI Filippo NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-FAIZANE’ ITA 0:09:34 0:00:57
80 121 EISENHART Taylor (T.J.) ARAPAHOE|HINCAPIE POWERED BY BMC USA 0:09:34 0:00:57
81 156 * THIBAULT Jean-Denis DC BANK PRO CYCLING TEAM CAN 0:09:35 0:00:58
82 65 LONARDI Giovanni NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-FAIZANE’ ITA 0:09:36 0:00:59
83 107 * MCGILL Scott AEVOLO USA 0:09:40 0:01:03
84 12 * DEBEAUMARCHÉ Nicolas TREK-SEGAFREDO FRA 0:09:40 0:01:03
85 141 NEWKIRK Isaiah 303 PROJECT USA 0:09:41 0:01:04
86 154 PAVLIC Marko DC BANK PRO CYCLING TEAM SLO 0:09:41 0:01:04
87 46 FORTUNATO Lorenzo NERI SOTTOLI SELLE ITALIA KTM ITA 0:09:41 0:01:04
88 92 SANTOS MORENO Efren CANEL’S – SPECIALIZED MEX 0:09:42 0:01:05
89 104 * BICKMORE Cade AEVOLO USA 0:09:42 0:01:05
90 162 FLAUTT Oliver TEAM DAUNER|AKKON USA 0:09:42 0:01:05
91 102 * SCHUNK Conor AEVOLO USA 0:09:43 0:01:06
92 145 DE LUNA Flavio Alejandro 303 PROJECT MEX 0:09:43 0:01:06
93 93 CORTE CORDERO Eduardo CANEL’S – SPECIALIZED MEX 0:09:43 0:01:06
94 94 PRADO JUAREZ Ignacio CANEL’S – SPECIALIZED MEX 0:09:52 0:01:15
95 165 THURAU Sven TEAM DAUNER|AKKON GER 0:09:53 0:01:16
96 117 ROSS Kent WILDLIFE GENERATION PRO CYCLING P/B MAXXIS USA 0:09:53 0:01:16
97 142 FONT MAS Bernat 303 PROJECT ESP 0:09:53 0:01:16
98 64 HATSUYAMA Sho NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-FAIZANE’ JPN 0:09:54 0:01:17
99 115 CHANCE Maxx WILDLIFE GENERATION PRO CYCLING P/B MAXXIS USA 0:09:56 0:01:19
100 161 MAMOS Philipp TEAM DAUNER|AKKON GER 0:09:56 0:01:19
101 97 LARA CARBAJAL Francisco CANEL’S – SPECIALIZED MEX 0:09:57 0:01:20
102 116 * GULLICKSON Finn WILDLIFE GENERATION PRO CYCLING P/B MAXXIS USA 0:09:57 0:01:20
103 163 HEIDER Christopher TEAM DAUNER|AKKON GER 0:09:58 0:01:21
104 37 SCHREURS Hamish ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY NZL 0:09:59 0:01:22
105 91 SANCHEZ GUARIN Oscar Eduardo CANEL’S – SPECIALIZED COL 0:10:00 0:01:23
106 114 * VODICKA Camden WILDLIFE GENERATION PRO CYCLING P/B MAXXIS USA 0:10:01 0:01:24
107 126 BRYON Miguel ARAPAHOE|HINCAPIE POWERED BY BMC USA 0:10:02 0:01:25
108 113 KIRBY Quinten WILDLIFE GENERATION PRO CYCLING P/B MAXXIS USA 0:10:03 0:01:26
109 153 LEPLINGARD Antoine DC BANK PRO CYCLING TEAM FRA 0:10:05 0:01:28
110 36 NIV Guy ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY ISR 0:10:05 0:01:28
111 85 * RODRIGUEZ VICTORIA Jose Alfredo ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING MEX 0:10:12 0:01:35
112 166 * HEMING Miká TEAM DAUNER|AKKON GER 0:10:13 0:01:36
113 96 * PALMA DAJUI Leonel CANEL’S – SPECIALIZED MEX 0:10:13 0:01:36

 
* Riders eligible for Best Young Rider Competition

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