The opening stage promises to be a showstopper. Starting at the southern-most point in the race's history, stage 1 begins in the shadows of The Watchman, one of the most prominent peaks in Zion National Park. A neutral start will take the riders to the east gate of the park, where racing will begin as the peloton exits. The route takes riders into the Dixie National Forest, which tops out at 2,926 meters near the Cedar Breaks National Monument. After two KOMs and one sprint, the riders will fly down a 20-minute descent into Cedar City, where three 4km circuits will lead to the finish on the Campus of Southern Utah University.
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