American 2.HC race sets provisional 2019 dates for August 12-18
The top three for the week – Israel Cycling Academy's Ben Hermans in second place, overall winner Sepp Kuss (LottoNL-Jumbo) and third-placed Mitchelton-Scott's Jack Haig – celebrate on the podium at the end of the 2018 Tour of Utah (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah will return for 2019 with tentative dates of August 12-18, moving back another week on the calendar after a similar move this year. The race is still waiting for UCI approval of the date change.
If approved, the change would also affect the Colorado Classic, which this year runs the week after Utah.
"We're just looking at how the calendar is lining up, and those are the dates we were told are going to be open," Tour of Utah Executive Manager John Kimball told Cyclingnews following the final press conference on Sunday. "So, again, we'll wait to hear from them so we can make that an official call."
The 2018 Tour of Utah moved back a week in the calendar in hopes of attracting more WorldTour teams after division 1 participation slipped to just one team in 2017 from a high of six in 2014. With new dates this year, the race attracted five WorldTour teams. More distance from the Tour de France might allow more teams to consider the race.
"We really hope so," Kimball said. "We love having the race open like this and being in the division we're at because we love to see young riders from all the different categories competing against the top guys. As many WorldTour teams as we can attract is fantastic.
"We hope the further away it makes it a little easier and it lets them prepare for the Vuelta and other things," Kimball said, "but it's fantastic to hear that they love to come to Utah."
Proximity to WorldTour races like the Tour of Poland, the Clasica San Sebastian, the RideLondon-Surrey Classic and the BinckBank Tour, as well as the 2.HC Vuelta a Burgos, made the seven-day Utah race a tough draw until the date change this year. The race moved from the first week of August to the second week this year.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Next year, the BinckBank Tour is scheduled for the August 12-18 slot, with the Vuelta a España beginning on August 24, 2019.
If you've ever wanted to know what it feels like to be part of a top-level cycling team, and to be on the ground, inside the barriers, at the Tour de France, then RUNNING WITH WOLVES will take you there. It is available to rent for $3.99 USD or buy for $6.99 USD.
Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Pat competed in his first bike race in 1985 at Flathead Lake. He studied English and journalism at the University of Oregon and has covered North American cycling extensively since 2009, as well as racing and teams in Europe and South America. Pat currently lives in the US outside of Portland, Oregon, with his imaginary dog Rusty.
