Fourth Time a Charm for Kocjan at Tour of Utah; Wins Stage 2 presented by Workers Compensation Fund in Ogden
Jure Kocjan Wins Stage 2 of the 2015 Tour of Utah in a sprint finish. Photo by Dave Iltis
Report by Lyne Lamoureux
August 4, 2015 – Ogden, Utah – Team SmartStop’s Jure Kocjan (Slovenia) timed his sprint perfectly to win Stage 2 presented by Workers Compensation Fund at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. Emerging from a reduced peloton, Kocjan, who wore the leader’s jersey for two stages in last year’s race, finished the stage in a time of three hours, 37 minutes and 27 seconds at the finish line on historic 25th Street in Ogden.
Who's riding who ?? Drapac rider tucks in tight on the North Ogden Pass descent on Stage 2, 2015 Tour of Utah daverphoto.com
A bike length separated Kocjan from second-place Robin Carpenter (USA) of Hincapie Racing Team and Brent Bookwalter (USA) of BMC Racing Team in third.
“We were really disappointed yesterday. After dinner I just went to my room and stayed there and just thought about today. I was super-motivated and angry and I knew that I had to make it over this climb,”said Kocjan, who was the last rider to make it over the North Ogden Divide with less than 20 miles to go in the stage.
“But I made it over and once we came down, I looked back and saw that we had a big gap like 50 seconds. So I just told the guys, my teammates, go as hard as you can. I knew that there were not a lot of good sprinters in the front. I knew that if we made it to the end, I was probably the fastest one,”Kocjan said.
Carpenter agreed that the climb was the decisive point of Tuesday’s stage. “If you can make it over that, then the race is yours to play with. It’s a short climb. It’s steep so if you can hold on to the power and make sure you’re in good position, then it’s not too hard to go over it.”
Overall race leader Kiel Reijnen (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team retained his Larry H. Miller Dealerships Leader’s yellow jersey by finishing fourth on the 100.3-mile stage. Alex Howes (USA) of Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling remained second overall tied on time with Kocjan who sits in third place. Carpenter vaulted up to fourth place and takes over the Subaru Best Young Rider jersey.
Welcomed blue skies and warm weather greeted the 121 racers at the start of Stage 2 presented by Workers Compensation Fund in the first-time host city Tremonton. After a flurry of attacks at the front early in the stage, Jay Thomson managed to escape solo on a flag-lined road in Thatcher with a chase group bridging up to him 10 miles later. Joining Thomson at the front were Dan Eaton (USA) of Axeon Cycling Team, Pierrick Naud (Canada) of Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies, Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) of Jamis-Hagens Berman presented by Sutter Home and Mackenzie Brennan (USA) of Hincapie Racing Team.
The five-rider break worked together to expand the gap on the wide, rural roads of Box Elder County, including the famous Fruit Highway (Hwy 89) before rolling along the Wasatch Front through Honeyville, Brigham City, Perry and Willard.
The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team controlled the pace at the front of the peloton, holding the gap around the three-minute mark. Thomson took the two Utah Sports Commission Sprint Lines and moved up to fifth place in the general classification with the bonus time.
The lone Ski Utah King of the Mountain climb brought a quickening of the pace, reducing the gap to under two minutes on the lower slopes of the North Ogden Divide. The tough 10 percent average gradient proved too much for most of the riders on the break except for Eaton who crested first, and joined by Bookwalter, sped down toward Ogden, averaging close to 60 miles per hour. The field also split up on the climb with most of the sprinters not able to follow the punishing pace.
The duo was reeled back by the 46-rider field as they approached the first of three 2.28-mile finishing laps in front of enthusiastic crowds. Attacks flew as no team was able to organize their leadout trains until the bell lap which brought Kocjan’s teammate Travis McCabe (USA) to the front. In the final straightway to the finish, McCabe swung out to force Bookwalter to open his sprint early, giving Kocjan a perfect trajectory to the line.
Eaton was awarded the Vivint Most Aggressive Rider jersey and fans have chosen Chris Horner (USA) of the Airgas Safeway Cycling Team as the America First Credit Union Fan Favorite.
Utah rider Rob Squire (Hincapie), fresh off a victory in the Crusher in the Tushar (see our August issue for the full report), finished in 30th place, but with the same time as the leaders. Park City brothers Tanner and Chris Putt finished 90 and 91st at 5:10 down on the winner. Erik Slack finished in 88th at 2:16 down. The Utah transplant recently joined the Jelly Belly team and made his return to racing after a long break earlier this year.
Stage 3 presented by Zions Bank visits Davis County for the first time, including a start at Antelope Island State Park. The 107.9-mile Stage 3 will start at 10:05 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5. After crossing the seven-mile causeway to the mainland, the racers will encounter familiar roads up the North Ogden Divide and the Eden Valley, but this time in a clockwise direction. After racing around Pineview Reservoir, the race will head up Trapper’s Loop in the shadow of Snowbasin Resort. The race will re-enter Davis County and have two nine-mile circuits in Bountiful, which include a difficult climb on 400 North along the Bountiful Bench.
2015 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah Award Jerseys
Larry H. Miller Dealerships Leader – Kiel Reijnen (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
Utah Sports Commission Sprint Leader – Kiel Reijnen (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
Ski Utah King of the Mountain Leader – Greg Daniel (USA), Axeon Cycling Team
Subaru Best Young Rider – Robin Carpenter (USA) of Hincapie Racing Team
Vivint Most Aggressive Rider – Dan Eaton (USA) of Axeon Cycling Team
America First Credit Union Fan Favorite – Chris Horner (USA) of Airgas Safeway Cycling Team
Washakie Renewable Energy Best Team – Team SmartStop
2015 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah Stage 2 Results
Position
Rider
Team
Team
Time
Gap
Bonuses
1
91
KOCJAN Jure
TEAM SMARTSTOP
SSC
3:37:27
0:00:00
10
2
84
* CARPENTER Robin
HINCAPIE RACING TEAM
HSD
3:37:27
0:00:00
6
3
11
BOOKWALTER Brent
BMC RACING TEAM
BMC
3:37:27
0:00:00
4
4
54
REIJNEN Kiel
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
UHC
3:37:27
0:00:00
5
61
AVILA VANEGAS Edwin Alcibiades
COLOMBIA
COL
3:37:27
0:00:00
6
116
* OWEN Logan
AXEON CYCLING TEAM
BDT
3:37:27
0:00:00
7
3
HOWES Alex
TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN
TCG
3:37:27
0:00:00
8
87
* SMITH Dion
HINCAPIE RACING TEAM
HSD
3:37:27
0:00:00
9
136
MANNION Gavin
JELLY BELLY p/b MAXXIS
JBC
3:37:27
0:00:00
10
47
THOMSON Jay Robert
MTN-QHUBEKA p/b SAMSUNG
MTN
3:37:27
0:00:00
6
11
94
MCCABE Travis
TEAM SMARTSTOP
SSC
3:37:27
0:00:00
12
41
BERHANE Natnael
MTN-QHUBEKA p/b SAMSUNG
MTN
3:37:27
0:00:00
13
15
SCHÄR Michael
BMC RACING TEAM
BMC
3:37:27
0:00:00
14
72
BARBIN Enrico
BARDIANI CSF
BAR
3:37:27
0:00:00
15
117
* GUERREIRO Ruben
AXEON CYCLING TEAM
BDT
3:37:27
0:00:00
16
6
* ZEPUNTKE Ruben
TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN
TCG
3:37:27
0:00:00
17
141
HORNER Christopher
AIRGAS SAFEWAY CYCLING TEAM
AIR
3:37:27
0:00:00
18
33
NORRIS Lachlan
DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING
DPC
3:37:27
0:00:00
19
104
WOODS Michael
OPTUM p/b KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES
OPM
3:37:27
0:00:00
20
4
KING Benjamin
TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN
TCG
3:37:27
0:00:00
21
127
BRENES OBANDO Gregory
JAMIS-HAGENS BERMAN p/b SUTTER HOME
JHB
3:37:27
0:00:00
22
14
ROSSKOPF Joseph
BMC RACING TEAM
BMC
3:37:27
0:00:00
23
25
* BASSO Leonardo
TREK FACTORY RACING
TFR
3:37:27
0:00:00
24
138
SHELDON Taylor
JELLY BELLY p/b MAXXIS
JBC
3:37:27
0:00:00
25
92
DE LUNA Flavio
TEAM SMARTSTOP
SSC
3:37:27
0:00:00
26
22
SCHLECK Frank
TREK FACTORY RACING
TFR
3:37:27
0:00:00
27
83
HORNBECK John
HINCAPIE RACING TEAM
HSD
3:37:27
0:00:00
28
143
MCCUTCHEON Connor
AIRGAS SAFEWAY CYCLING TEAM
AIR
3:37:27
0:00:00
29
51
BRAJKOVIC Janez
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
UHC
3:37:27
0:00:00
30
85
SQUIRE Robbie
HINCAPIE RACING TEAM
HSD
3:37:27
0:00:00
31
63
CASTIBLANCO CUBIDES Jorge Camilo
COLOMBIA
COL
3:37:27
0:00:00
32
21
BUSCHE Matthew
TREK FACTORY RACING
TFR
3:37:27
0:00:00
33
114
* ORAM James
AXEON CYCLING TEAM
BDT
3:37:27
0:00:00
34
113
* GEOGHEGAN HART Tao
AXEON CYCLING TEAM
BDT
3:37:27
0:00:00
35
64
* MARTÍNEZ Daniel
COLOMBIA
COL
3:37:27
0:00:00
36
62
CANO ARDILA Alex
COLOMBIA
COL
3:37:27
0:00:00
37
95
BUTLER Chris
TEAM SMARTSTOP
SSC
3:37:27
0:00:00
38
67
PEDRAZA MORALES Walter Fernando
COLOMBIA
COL
3:37:27
0:00:00
39
107
GAIMON Phillip
OPTUM p/b KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES
OPM
3:37:27
0:00:00
40
2
DOMBROWSKI Joseph Lloyd
TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN
TCG
3:37:27
0:00:00
41
48
VAN ZYL Johann
MTN-QHUBEKA p/b SAMSUNG
MTN
3:37:27
0:00:00
42
131
* MORTON Lachlan David
JELLY BELLY p/b MAXXIS
JBC
3:37:27
0:00:00
43
123
JACQUES-MAYNES Ben
JAMIS-HAGENS BERMAN p/b SUTTER HOME
JHB
3:37:27
0:00:00
1
44
112
* EATON Daniel
AXEON CYCLING TEAM
BDT
3:37:27
0:00:00
4
45
126
MILLER Carson
JAMIS-HAGENS BERMAN p/b SUTTER HOME
JHB
3:37:27
0:00:00
46
96
BRITTON Rob
TEAM SMARTSTOP
SSC
3:37:27
0:00:00
47
13
* FRANKINY Kilian
BMC RACING TEAM
BMC
3:37:27
0:00:00
48
73
PIRAZZI Stefano
BARDIANI CSF
BAR
3:38:47
0:01:20
49
32
* KERBY Jordan
DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING
DPC
3:38:49
0:01:22
50
145
EASTER Griffin
AIRGAS SAFEWAY CYCLING TEAM
AIR
3:39:15
0:01:48
51
74
ZARDINI Edoardo
BARDIANI CSF
BAR
3:39:43
0:02:16
52
75
BONGIORNO Manuel Francesco
BARDIANI CSF
BAR
3:39:43
…
53
98
ORONTE Emerson
TEAM SMARTSTOP
SSC
3:39:43
…
54
52
CANOLA Marco
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
UHC
3:39:43
…
55
111
* DANIEL Gregory
AXEON CYCLING TEAM
BDT
3:39:43
…
56
46
REGUIGUI Youcef
MTN-QHUBEKA p/b SAMSUNG
MTN
3:39:43
…
57
45
NIYONSHUTI Adrien
MTN-QHUBEKA p/b SAMSUNG
MTN
3:39:43
…
58
155
* CANTY Brendan
TEAM BUDGET FORKLIFTS
BFL
3:39:43
…
59
134
* TANOVITCHII Nicolae
JELLY BELLY p/b MAXXIS
JBC
3:39:43
…
60
142
* LEMUS DAVILA Luis Enrique
AIRGAS SAFEWAY CYCLING TEAM
AIR
3:39:43
…
61
7
BOVENHUIS Jasper
TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN
TCG
3:39:43
…
62
66
* RAMIREZ BOTERO Carlos Mario
COLOMBIA
COL
3:39:43
…
63
34
PHELAN Adam
DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING
DPC
3:39:43
…
64
5
KING Edward
TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN
TCG
3:39:43
…
65
88
SCHMALZ Joseph
HINCAPIE RACING TEAM
HSD
3:39:43
…
66
68
SARMIENTO TUNARROSA José Cayetano
COLOMBIA
COL
3:39:43
…
67
148
EASTER Cullen
AIRGAS SAFEWAY CYCLING TEAM
AIR
3:39:43
…
68
36
ROE Timothy
DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING
DPC
3:39:43
…
69
12
PHINNEY Taylor
BMC RACING TEAM
BMC
3:39:43
…
70
108
YOUNG Eric
OPTUM p/b KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES
OPM
3:39:43
…
71
71
COLBRELLI Sonny
BARDIANI CSF
BAR
3:39:43
…
72
44
JIM Songezo
MTN-QHUBEKA p/b SAMSUNG
MTN
3:39:43
…
73
133
BRAICO Alexandr
JELLY BELLY p/b MAXXIS
JBC
3:39:43
…
74
16
* SENNI Manuel
BMC RACING TEAM
BMC
3:39:43
…
75
146
* MEDINA Gerardo
AIRGAS SAFEWAY CYCLING TEAM
AIR
3:39:43
…
76
106
ZWIZANSKI Scott
OPTUM p/b KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES
OPM
3:39:43
…
77
23
* BERNARD Julian
TREK FACTORY RACING
TFR
3:39:43
…
78
86
BRENNAN Mackenzie
HINCAPIE RACING TEAM
HSD
3:39:43
…
79
147
GOTTLIEB Kevin
AIRGAS SAFEWAY CYCLING TEAM
AIR
3:39:43
…
80
58
MURPHY John
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
UHC
3:39:43
…
81
121
HAEDO Lucas Sebastian
JAMIS-HAGENS BERMAN p/b SUTTER HOME
JHB
3:39:43
…
82
132
MORTON Angus
JELLY BELLY p/b MAXXIS
JBC
3:39:43
…
83
135
FISHER Steve
JELLY BELLY p/b MAXXIS
JBC
3:39:43
…
84
81
MAGNER Tyler
HINCAPIE RACING TEAM
HSD
3:39:43
…
85
105
NAUD Pierrick
OPTUM p/b KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES
OPM
3:39:43
…
1
86
77
* CHIRICO Luca
BARDIANI CSF
BAR
3:39:43
…
87
97
KYER Julian
TEAM SMARTSTOP
SSC
3:39:43
…
88
137
SLACK Erik
JELLY BELLY p/b MAXXIS
JBC
3:39:43
…
89
56
SUMMERHILL Daniel
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
UHC
3:39:43
…
90
57
* PUTT Tanner
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
UHC
3:42:37
0:05:10
91
115
* PUTT Chris
AXEON CYCLING TEAM
BDT
3:42:37
…
92
125
LEECE Stephen
JAMIS-HAGENS BERMAN p/b SUTTER HOME
JHB
3:42:37
…
93
124
WILLIAMS David
JAMIS-HAGENS BERMAN p/b SUTTER HOME
JHB
3:42:54
0:05:27
94
42
BRAMMEIER Matt
MTN-QHUBEKA p/b SAMSUNG
MTN
3:43:13
0:05:46
95
153
BOBRIDGE Jack
TEAM BUDGET FORKLIFTS
BFL
3:43:13
…
96
76
* ANDREETTA Simone
BARDIANI CSF
BAR
3:43:13
…
97
78
* MANFREDI Andrea
BARDIANI CSF
BAR
3:43:13
…
98
151
TALBOT Brodie
TEAM BUDGET FORKLIFTS
BFL
3:43:13
…
99
38
WIPPERT Wouter
DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING
DPC
3:43:13
…
100
37
* SPOKES Samuel
DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING
DPC
3:43:13
…
101
102
SOLADAY Thomas
OPTUM p/b KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES
OPM
3:43:13
…
102
24
SILVESTRE Fabio
TREK FACTORY RACING
TFR
3:43:13
…
103
152
O’SHEA Glenn
TEAM BUDGET FORKLIFTS
BFL
3:43:13
…
104
158
ANDERSON Jack
TEAM BUDGET FORKLIFTS
BFL
3:43:13
…
105
17
STETINA Peter
BMC RACING TEAM
BMC
3:43:13
…
106
157
TORCKLER Michael
TEAM BUDGET FORKLIFTS
BFL
3:43:13
…
107
122
TRILLINI Walter Gaston
JAMIS-HAGENS BERMAN p/b SUTTER HOME
JHB
3:43:13
…
108
65
* MOLANO Sebastián
COLOMBIA
COL
3:43:13
…
109
144
* MAUCH Justin
AIRGAS SAFEWAY CYCLING TEAM
AIR
3:45:08
0:07:41
110
35
RUDOLPH Malcom
DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING
DPC
3:45:08
…
111
31
BROWN Graeme
DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING
DPC
3:45:08
…
112
103
HUFF Charles Bradley
OPTUM p/b KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES
OPM
3:45:47
0:08:20
113
101
ANTHONY Jesse
OPTUM p/b KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES
OPM
3:45:47
…
114
93
BELL Zachary
TEAM SMARTSTOP
SSC
3:45:47
…
115
43
GOSS Matthew Harley
MTN-QHUBEKA p/b SAMSUNG
MTN
3:45:47
…
116
156
BERRY Josh
TEAM BUDGET FORKLIFTS
BFL
3:45:47
…
117
154
NANKERVIS Tommy
TEAM BUDGET FORKLIFTS
BFL
3:45:47
…
118
26
* WATSON Calvin
TREK FACTORY RACING
TFR
3:45:47
…
119
82
CLARK Oscar
HINCAPIE RACING TEAM
HSD
3:45:47
…
120
53
JONES Christopher
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
UHC
3:45:47
…
121
55
CLARKE Jonathan
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
UHC
3:45:47
…
Number of not started: 0
Number of starters: 121
Number remaining: 121
Riders after time limit: —
Riders dropping out: —
Last calculated: 4-08, 14.58 (Mountain Daylight Time)
