Chris Horner (Lampre-Merida)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Riders pass through the final canyon on the way back to Cedar City.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The bunch heads toward some thunderstorms and more climbing.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The front of the field hits the Hogs Back climb(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The peloton got strung out heading through red rock country(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The peloton passes through one of the Red Canyon archways as it passes near Bryce Canyon(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Organisers of the Tour of Utah announced the first dozen teams for the 2014 edition, naming Chris Horner's Lampre-Merida team as one of six WorldTour squads to accept invitations. Also named were American teams BMC, Garmin-Sharp and Trek Factory Racing, and the Dutch team Belkin.
Horner made his comeback from a knee injury at the 2013 Tour of Utah, coming in second to Garmin's Tom Danielson before going on to become the first American to win the overall at the Vuelta a España.
The USA's two Professional Continental teams were also named for the August 4-10 event: Novo Nordisk and UnitedHealthcare, along with four Continental teams: the Hincapie Sportswear Development Team, Jelly Belly/Maxxis, Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies and the Brazilian Funvic Brasilinvest squad.
"The Tour of Utah continues to attract an impressive field of teams each year," Miller Sports Properties president Steve Miller said. "Hosting six ProTeams who will be racing at the Grand Tours, like the Giro [d'Italia] and Tour de France, speaks volumes about how this race has grown into a highly-respected event for international cycling. These top-level teams, representing four continents, will make the 10th edition of the Tour very exciting in August."
The Tour of Utah kicks off in Cedar City on August 4, the second year the race has dipped down into red rock territory. The second stage heads from Panguitch to Torrey, and on the third stage heads from Lehi to the Miller Motorsports Park.
The race largely bypasses Salt Lake City, heading from Ogden to Powder Mountain on stage 4 and then dipping into Wyoming for the start of stage 5 in Evanston, with a finish in Kamas, Utah.
Salt Lake City will host the start of the traditional queen stage with a finish at the Snowbird ski resort, while Park City will host the final stage circuit.
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