Tour of Utah expands into Wyoming for 2014
First six of 16 invited teams announced
The 2014 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah will expand both in racing days and geographical footprint as the 10th anniversary edition increases from six to seven stages and will make its first foray into another state with a stage start in Wyoming.
The route was unveiled today on the campus of the University of Utah, with the seven-day stage race taking place August 4-10 and retaining its UCI 2.1 rating. And living up to its "America's Toughest Stage Race" moniker, the 2014 edition features 38,000 feet of climbing over 600 miles of racing.
"Each year the Tour of Utah has the opportunity to break new ground by showcasing the sport to different parts of the state, and our selection of host cities and venues in 2014 is no exception," said Steve Miller, president of Miller Sports Properties which operates the Tour of Utah.
"The addition of a seventh day of racing allows us to expand to new territories like Powder Mountain and Evanston, Wyoming, as well as build upon the tremendous racing we experienced in southern Utah last year and our traditional finish in Park City. We are genuinely excited to bring the Tour of Utah to these communities and thank them for supporting the race."
Six of the sixteen teams to contest the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah were also announced, including five WorldTeams and one Continental team. All three of the US-registered WorldTeams have accepted invitations - BMC Racing Team, Garmin Sharp and Trek Factory Racing - as well as Belkin-Pro Cycling Team and Orica-GreenEdge. The US Continental team Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis, featuring reigning US road champion Fred Rodriguez, rounds out the initial list of invited teams.
As was the case in the 2013 edition, this year's Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah will be comprised of road stages only with no individual or team time trials.
The opening stage returns to southern Utah with Cedar City hosting both the start and finish as well as the pre-race team presentation.
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Stage two will return for a second consecutive year to the communities adjacent to the red-rock landscapes known as the National Historic District of Utah. Panguitch will host the start while the finish will be located in Torrey.
For stage three the race heads into central Utah, from the high desert of the Utah Valley to the western slopes of the Oquirrh Mountains. The stage start returns to Lehi for a sixth time while the finish will be held at Miller Motorsports Park, also serving as a race venue for the sixth time. The last visit to the road racing facility was in 2012 for a team time trial.
Stage four will start in Ogden, making its sixth appearance in the Tour of Utah, while the mountain finish is located in a new venue at Powder Mountain, 19 miles northeast of Ogden and known as North America's largest ski area.
Stage five boasts two new host communities as well as the first time the race ventures outside of Utah. The stage starts in Evanston, Wyoming, 25 miles from the Utah border, and will navigate through the Uinta Mountains along Mirror Lake Scenic Highway to arrive in the finishing city of Kamas.
Salt Lake City and Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort both return in 2014 to host stage six, the seventh consecutive year both venues have hosted the Tour. However, it is the first time that the two locations will be used together with close to 10,000 feet of elevation gain on tap for the Tour of Utah's queen stage across the Wasatch Mountains.
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah concludes in Park City with the year-round resort town hosting both the start and finish of the stage, featuring a final climb over Empire Pass.
Details regarding each stage route will be announced in coming months.
2014 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah stages:
Stage 1 - Monday, August 4: Cedar City
Stage 2 - Tuesday, August 5: Panguitch - Torrey
Stage 3 - Wednesday, August 6: Lehi - Miller Motorsports Park
Stage 4 - Thursday, August 7: Ogden - Powder Mountain
Stage 5 - Friday, August 8: Evanston, WY - Kamas
Stage 6 - Saturday, August 9: Salt Lake City - Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort
Stage 7 - Sunday, August 10: Park City
