Wonderful news for Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah fans and professional cycling in the U.S. has arrived regarding the 2013 edition:
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Continued sponsor commitment promises another great year of racing, and
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Southern Utah communities will be considered for the 2013 course.
Read on…
Levi Leipheimer at the start of 2011 Tour of Utah Stage 2.
Strong Sponsorship and Fan Support Prompts
2013 Planning Process for Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
Top-Tier Sponsors Ramp Up for August Professional Cycling Race
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (July 25, 2012) – A dozen top-tier sponsors have been confirmed for the 2012 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, August 7-12, prompting plans for an expanded 2013 event. Wasatch Front Subaru Dealers have recently increased their sponsorship investment of the international cycling event, currently held across six cities in northern Utah, by extending their agreement for an additional two years. Along with a commitment from title sponsor Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, organizers of the Tour of Utah have started developing the new route for 2013, with tentative talks to include southern Utah communities for the first time.
“The Tour of Utah continues to draw not only the best athletes from the world of professional road cycling, but it also attracts a fantastic group of who’s who from corporate America. With this continued support, we have formed an exploratory committee to look at expanding the geographic reach of the event to southern Utah. We’ve had a staggering amount of interest from race fans to move south, as well as our corporate partners. We will know more after our race next month,” said Steve Miller, president of the Tour of Utah.
The title sponsor for the event for a fifth consecutive year is Larry H. Miller Group of Companies. The Utah-based company, now with 80 businesses and properties primarily in the western United States, retains the naming rights for the event. The company name has been incorporated in the new brand identity for the Tour of Utah, created by TWIO Brand in January. In addition, the naming rights for the prestigious yellow jersey worn by the overall top athlete (rider with lowest cumulative time) will continue for a second year as the Larry H. Miller Dealerships leader’s jersey.
Wasatch Front Subaru Dealers, which participated in 2011, have confirmed a two-year deal with the Tour for 2012 and 2013. Subaru will serve as the Official Vehicle of the Tour of Utah, providing more than 80 vehicles during race week for race officials, communications support, teams and medical staff. All Subaru owners will have access to special parking at all host venues of the Tour. The Wasatch Front Subaru Dealers will provide free test rides at Miller Motorsports Park on Wednesday, August 8 for race fans at the track. Each dealer will be giving away a VIP Tour of Utah package that includes two hospitality passes for the week and a photo opportunity with one of the professional teams during the KJZZ 14 Team Presentation ceremonies on August 6 in Ogden. Subaru will also return as the sponsor of the Subaru Best Young Rider award jersey. This jersey is presented each day to the rider, under the age of 25, with the lowest cumulative time.
The Utah Sports Commission, which has been an official Tour partner each year, will have branding on all award jerseys. The Utah Sports Commission has increased its support for the Tour of Utah in 2012. The mission of the Utah Sports Commission is to help enhance Utah’s economy, image and quality of life through the attraction, promotion and development of national and international sports. For the Tour, the Sports Commission will assist with event promotion and volunteer coordination. The Tour relies on 2,000 volunteers for the week-long event.
“We have a diverse number of summer and winter sports which take advantage of the tremendous man-made venues in Utah to make this a year-round sports destination. The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah showcases the natural landscape beauty and landscape of Utah. It allows the public to see another side of Utah. It’s a nice juxtaposition to be able to maximize what nature has made, not just what man has made,” said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission.
One of the longest-running sponsorships for the Tour continues with Zions Bank, a Founding Partner and the official bank of the Tour. With over 100 full-service branch locations across Utah, Zions Bank will be one of the main distribution points for the Tour of Utah Map Guide, a fold-out, full-color brochure to help spectators enjoy the six-day race and festival activities in each host community. Zions Bank will receive co-branding on the Map Guide and signage at each finish line during race week. The overall start of the race, Tuesday, August 7 in Ogden, will reflect the continued partnership with naming rights – Stage One presented by Zions Bank.
XO Communications has expanded its partnership with the Tour in 2012. As one of the nation’s largest communications service providers of advanced VoIP, Internet, managed network, and hosted IT solutions, XO Communications is the Official Internet Provider for the Tour and the presenting sponsor of Stage Two on August 8 of race week. This stage is the Team Time Trial at Miller Motorsports Park, which is the first TTT in the United States for a UCI-rated event since 2008. For a second year XO Communications serves as the right’s holder for the Sprint award jersey, honoring the fastest cyclist who has the most sprint points for each day’s competition. The XO Communications Sprint award jersey will feature a new purple palette, which is part of the company’s new brand campaign that launched in April.
The Utah Office of Tourism, an agency of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development and a Tour partner, will feature its “Life Elevated®” brand statement on both sleeves of all award jerseys. In partnership with the tourism agency, Ski Utah will receive branding with all King of the Mountains summits along the race route. The distinctive snowflakes for Ski Utah are incorporated into the design of the Ski Utah King of the Mountains award jersey, promoting “The Greatest Snow on Earth®”. In addition, the Ski Utah Yeti inflatable mascot will be used race week with social media and for mobile signage at some of the big climbs on the course.
Miller Lite joined the Tour of Utah as a sponsor in 2011 and has ramped up its activation with two consumer promotions to spotlight the Miller Lite Punch Top Can. Both promotions will be co-branded as Miller Lite/Miller64. Aligning with Fresh Market, an Associated Food Stores brand in Utah, Miller Lite/Miller 64 will allow sports fans to register to win two VIP Experience packages on the final day of the race, Sunday, August 12, in Park City, Utah. In addition, Miller Lite/Miller 64 will offer a new NeilPryde Alize road bicycle, and Tour merchandise, for a consumer contest in five cities across northern Utah. Cycling fans can register for the NeilPryde bicycle and other prizes online, as well as at select Maverik stores where special Tour of Utah point of sale materials are on display through mid August.
Adobe Systems Inc. continues its partnership of the Tour as a stage sponsor and as the presenting sponsor of Tour Tracker®. The California-based software technology company has its digital marketing unit based in Lehi, where it plans to open a new 280,000-square-foot facility at the end of the year. Near this facility is the start line on Friday, August 10 for Stage Four presented by Adobe, which at 131 miles is the longest stage of the race. Tour Tracker® presented by Adobe provides start-to-finish coverage of the Tour of Utah on the official Tour web site and using mobile applications (iPad, iPhone, Android). In addition to live broadcast video, Tour Tracker® presented by Adobe also offers real-time race data (speed, slope, elevation, GPS location), as well as commentary, social media feeds and speed, slope and elevation data, commentary and social media feeds.
The University of Utah Health Care continues as a top-tier sponsor for the Tour of Utah. The August 9 stage from Ogden to Salt Lake City is Stage Three presented by University of Utah Health Care. The Salt Lake City hospital system will also provide medical support for the full week of the Tour. The medical team serves not only the needs of athletes, but also officials, volunteers, staff, and spectators throughout the six-day event. University of Utah Health Care is the No. 1 health care system in the Salt Lake City metro area, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2011-2012 Best Hospitals rankings. As part of that system, University Hospitals & Clinics rely on more than 1,100 board-certified physicians who staff four University hospitals, community clinics, and specialty centers.
Exergy Development Group has stepped up its sponsorship in 2012 to include recognition of the Most Aggressive Rider award jersey. One of the largest independent renewable energy companies in the United States, Exergy Development Group will recognize the athlete who demonstrates a courageous performance during each day’s contest. Exergy Development Group has also committed to be the presenting sponsor of Stage Five, the “Queen Stage” of the race that is contested between Newpark Town Center in Park City and Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort. Exergy Development Group also sponsors a UCI Continental men’s cycling team, Team Exergy, which will race for the first time in Utah.
As one of the largest well-being companies in Utah, UnitedHealthcare has a large presence in Utah and has been involved with the race for five years. UnitedHealthcare will receive naming rights to the final stage of race week, Stage Six presented by UnitedHealthcare. The company is the title sponsor of the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team, which features 2008 Tour of Utah champion Jeff Louder. UnitedHealthcare serves more than 38 million people and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.
Kühl Clothing, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the official apparel supplier for the Tour through 2013. This outdoor lifestyle clothing company will provide new designs using innovative fabrics for Tour staff shirts and jackets. The Kühl Parashirt is a lightweight wind and water resistant jacket made out of a rip stop material. The other is a new polo made with Coffeena fabric. This poly blend utilizes recycled coffee grounds to enhance evaporative cooling and provide UV protection.
The 2012 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah showcases 17 professional teams, including seven teams from the Tour de France, which will compete over 545 miles of racing in six consecutive days this August. This year’s overall start will be in Ogden and other host venues include Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, downtown Salt Lake City, Park City, University of Utah Research Park in Salt Lake City and Utah County. The event continues to be free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique pro sports in the world today. More information about the Tour, pro teams, Experience Packages, Ultimate Challenge and Tour partners can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com. Updates are also provided on Facebook (Tour of Utah) and Twitter (@thetourofutah).
About the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is a six-day, professional bicycle stage race along the Rocky Mountain’s Wasatch Range. Known as “America’s Toughest Stage RaceTM,” the race covers 545 miles of racing with 38,500 vertical feet of climbing through some of Utah’s most beautiful and challenging terrain. Now in its eighth year, the Tour of Utah is scheduled to take place August 7-12 as a UCI 2.1-rated stage race for the best professional cyclists in the world. The event is owned and operated by the Utah Cycling Partnership. Larry H. Miller Group of Companies continues as the title sponsor. www.tourofutah.com.
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Media Contact:
Jackie Tyson, Media Relations Manager
TourofUtahPR@pelotonsports.net
Foothills near Little Cottonwood Canyon, the road to Snowbird
[updated 8/4/2012]
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah course promises some exciting racing over six stages from August 7 through August 12. The terrain is varied and challenging, set-up for a mixture of break-away and GC drama. The riders found its altitude great preparation for the USA Pro Challenge last year, so much so that competitors like Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) have mentioned they’re considering racing Utah this year.
Because the Colorado race begins eight days after the Tour of Utah concludes, the riders participating in both events, of which there should be many, may gauge their efforts in Utah carefully. Timmy Duggan (Liquigas-Cannondale) noted after last year’s Colorado race that back-to-back week-long efforts at altitude meant some didn’t have a lot left in the tank after going hard in Utah. Guys like Francisco Mancebo (Competitive Cyclist) and those on the other teams (Rabobank, Argos-Shimano, NetApp) who aren’t expected to ride in Colorado could have an edge in Utah for this reason.
Francisco Mancebo (Competitive Cyclist) at a Tour of the Gila start line
Stage by stage
The race begins with a long 211 km (131.6 miles) Stage 1 that includes four climbs. The last climb, North Ogden Pass, is short at 3 km (2 miles) long. The average grade of 8% with a summit 16 km (10 miles) from the finish line could provide a platform for some riders to slip away. Although the descent appears to include a few 90 degree turns it doesn’t seem overly technical, though narrow roads could change that conclusion.
This finale on Stage 1 is likely a set-up for a select group, including sprinters who can climb well, to contest the stage. Whether or not that’s a GC rider is a tough call, but chances are if he’s feeling good Mancebo will come out swinging – just because he’s Mancebo – and also because he probably needs an advantage going into the team time trial over his WorldTour team rivals.
If the GC didn’t begin to shake out on Stage 1 it should after the team time trial of Stage 2, depending on how the race decides to score time (remember the TDF when the second-placed TTT team lost only 20 seconds regardless of their real time?). WorldTour teams especially and perhaps certain pro-continental teams in the event should enjoy an advantage; they’ve likely practiced and raced TTTs whereas the continental teams won’t have raced a TTT as a unit, although some of the riders may have experience from prior teams.
Stage 3 launches the field up the opposite side of North Ogden Pass, where a breakaway could go if one hasn’t formed yet. The most difficult climb of the day is Big Mountain which summits with 24 km (15 miles) mostly downhill to the finish line interrupted by a short shallow bump midway. The Tour’s description of this stage indicates a two-man break peeled away from the pack on Big Mountain and held off the field the last two times this stage featured in the race.
This stage last appeared in the Tour of Utah in 2010 when a group of six who started up Big Mountain dwindled to David Tanner (Fly V) and Alex Dowsett (Trek-Livestrong). Tanner won just ahead of Dowsett and 26 seconds in advance of a large portion of a splintered peloton. In 2009 Mancebo and teammate Oscar Sevilla formed the two man break over Big Mountain; Mancebo won the stage, again just under 30 seconds before a large group.
For 2012 it’s likely a break will form over the last climb again. However, this course opened the race as Stage 1 after a prologue the last two times it was included in the Tour. This year, depending on the standings after the team time trial, there’s a good chance a group of GC men will test each other on the climb. If they do, a larger select group could descend into the finish line which will make for an even more exciting sprint finish.
Ian Boswell & Lawson Craddock (Bontrager Livestrong), Chad Beyer (Competitive Cyclist), Tour of the Gila Stage 5 top three. All are expected in Utah.
The sprinters should look forward to Stage 4. It lacks KOMs. But there’s still 1,280 meters (4,200 feet) of elevation gain, and a potential bump (pending race profiles) near the finish. While that could eliminate some of the sprinters, it isn’t steep enough to separate the GC contenders – unless windy conditions split the peloton earlier in the race.
Stage 5’s finish at Snowbird resort is a race favorite, a place that’s seen break-away winners like Alex Howes (Garmin-Sharp) as well as GC riders crossing the line at 2,545 meters (8,350 feet) elevation. Either outcome is possible this year regardless of the separation among the top-placed riders. For example, the next day’s climbs are hard enough that the leader’s team might only chase down GC threats here to save something for the last day. Stage 5 is a day where anything could happen.
2012’s edition of the Tour of Utah could well result in a battle for the yellow jersey as well as the KOM jersey until the final race day of Stage 6, thanks to the addition of Empire Pass (a.k.a. Guardsman Pass). It’s a 9% climb over 10 km (6 miles) with a 13% section near the bottom and the last third rising about 5%. The Park Record reported that “Mancebo called it the toughest climb he’s ever done.” Eight km (5 miles) remain between the riders and the finish line from the summit, so an attack here could stick.
Take a look at this list of potential winners of the 2012 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.
Levi Leipheimer at the start of 2011 Tour of Utah Stage 2, is expected at the 2012 edition to defend his 2011 victory.
[updated 8/3/2012]
For 2012 the Tour of Utah has increased total distance from 658 kilometers (409 miles) to 877 kilometers (545 miles) over six days of racing. There’s more climbing too. Elevation gain for 2012 measures 11,404 meters (37,415 feet) of vertical gain versus 9,144 meters (30,000 feet) last year.
A road race replaces the uphill prologue for the first day of racing and a team time trial at Miller Motorsports Park takes the place of an individual time trial at the same location.
These changes could well have an effect on deciding the race’s overall winner.
One similarity to the 2011 edition is the single mountain-top finish at Snowbird Resort with an elevation of approximately 2,545 meters (8,350 feet).
2012 Route at A Glance
- 545 miles of racing in six days
- 37,501 vertical feet of climbing
- 12 XO Communications Sprint lines (bonus points awarded for sprint lines and top 15 stage finishers)
- 13 Ski Utah King of the Mountain climbs (KOM points awarded to first three riders over a KOM)
Miller Motorsports Park is almost completely flat
Stage lengths and elevation gains
August 7, Stage One, Ogden to Ogden
211 km, 2,724 meters elevation gain
4 KOMs and 3 sprint lines
August 8, Stage Two, Miller Motorsports Park (Tooele) – Team Time Trial
21.75 km, 85 meters elevation gain
August 9, Stage Three p/b University of Utah Health Care,Ogden to Salt Lake City
138 km, 2,174 meters elevation gain
3 KOMs and 2 sprint lines
August 10, Stage Four p/b Adobe/XANGO, Lehi to Salt Lake City
215.6 km, 1,285 meters elevation gain
3 sprint lines
August 11, Stage Five p/b Exergy Development Group, Park City to Snowbird Resort
165 km, 3,048 meters elevation gain (mountain-top finish)
4 KOMs and 3 sprint lines
August 12, Stage Six p/b UnitedHealthcare, Park City to Park City
121.3 km, 2,086 elevation gain
2 KOMs and 1 sprint line
Route at a glance fact sheet includes start and finish times and expected KOM and sprint line arrival times: FactSheet 2012 Route_At_A_Glance
Check out the stage by stage analysis.
Utah scenery varies from desert-like rock to tree-covered mountains
[updated 7/31/2012]
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah will host 17 teams in the 2012 edition of the six-day event. ProVéloPassion will update the list of riders expected to start on August 7th in Ogden as information becomes available through public and other resources. This list is subject to change with the final list to come from the race organization.
Riders with an * have been announced by the race organization as participating, from an early press release.
Riders who are Colorado or Utah residents have (CO) or (UT) respectively following their names.
Get familiar with the six days of racing by reading the overview.
World Tour Teams
- Cadel Evans [a maybe since Olympics TT withdrawal]
- Brent Bookwalter
- Mathias Frank
- Ivan Santaromita
- Michael Schar
- Johann Tschopp
- Lawrence Warbasse
- Mathias Flueckiger
Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda (USA)
- Peter Stetina
- Nathan Haas
- Tom Danielson (CO)
- Tyler Farrar
- Jacob Rathe
- Christian Vande Velde
- David Zabriskie
- Lachlan Morton
Liquigas-Cannondale (ITA)
- Timmy Duggan(CO)
- Ted King
- Valerio Agnoli
- Damiano Caruso
- Paolo Longo Borghini
- Marco Benfatto
Omega Pharma-QuickStep (BEL)
- Levi Leipheimer*
- Martin Velits
- Peter Velits
- Matthew Brammeier
- Jeroen Hoorne
- Francesco Chicchi
Rabobank Cycling Team (NED)
- Wilco Kelderman
- Jetse Bol
- Steven Kruijswijk
- Thomas Leezer
- Michael Matthews
- Tom Jelte Slagter
- Dennis Van Winden
- Marc Goos
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek (LUX)
- Chris Horner
- George Bennett
- Ben King
- Joost Posthuma
- Matthew Busche
- Thomas Rohregger
- Jens Voigt
- Oliver Zaugg
Professional Continental Teams
Champion System Pro Cycling Team (CHN)
- Craig Lewis (CO)
- Chris Butler
- William Clarke
- Pengda Jiao
- Biao Liu
- Muhamad Adiq Husainie Othman
- Cameron Wurf
- Gang Xu
Team Argos-Shimano (NED)
- Patrick Gretsch
- Ronan Van Zandbeek
- Tom Stamsnijder
- Yann Huguet
- Thomas Bonnin
- Matthieu Sprick
- Dominic Klemme
- Jonas Aslstrand
Team NetApp (GER)
- Bartosz Huzarski
- Leopold Koenig
- Andreas Schillinger
- Cesare Benedetti
- Marcel Wyss
- Andreas Dietziker
- Reto Hollenstein
- Matthias Brandle
Team SpiderTech powered by C10 (CAN)
- Lucas Euser (CO)
- Hugo Houle
- David Boily
- Flavio de Luna
- Caleb Fairly
- Ryan Roth
- Will Routley
- Brian Vandborg
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)
- Rory Sutherland (CO)
- Hilton Clarke
- Ben Day (CO)
- Philip Deignan
- Robert Forster
- Jake Keough
- Christopher Jones
- Jeffry Louder (UT)
Continental Teams
Bissell Pro Cycling (USA)
- Ben Jacques-Maynes
- Joe Schmalz
- Julian Kyer (CO)
- Jeremy Vennell
- Carter Jones
- Chris Baldwin (CO)
- Chris Barton
- Alex Vanias
Bontrager Livestrong Team (USA)
- Josh Atkins
- Ian Boswell
- Lawson Craddock
- Joe Dombrowski
- Ryan Eastman
- Connor O’Leary (UT)
- James Oram
- Jasper Stuyven
Competitive Cyclist Racing Team (USA)
- Francisco Mancebo
- Ian Burnett
- Thomas Rabou
- Chad Beyer
- Max Jenkins
- Mike Olheiser
- Taylor Shelden (CO)
- David Williams
EPM-UNE (COL)
- Rafael Infantino Abreu
- Giovanni Manuel Baez Alvarez
- Francisco Jarley Colorado Hernandez
- Walter Fernando Pedraza Morales
- Robigzon Leandro Oyola Oyola
- Freddy Orlando Piamonte Rodriguez
- Eduard Alexander Beltran Suarez
- Javier Eduardo Gomez Pineda
Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)
- Jesse Anthony
- Alex Candelario
- Marsh Cooper
- Scott Zwizanski
- Mike Creed (CO)
- Sebastian Salas
- Andrew Bajadali (CO)
- Reid Mumford (UT)
Team Exergy (USA)
- Freddie Rodriguez
- Matt Cooke (CO)
- Andres Diaz
- Morgan Schmitt
- Sam Johnson
- Serge Tvetcov
- Noe Gianetti
- Kirk Carlsen
Streets of Golden packed after the riders left town on stage 6 of 2011 UPCC
[updated 7/30/2012]
Today the USA Pro Cycling Challenge released the list of teams to compete in the second edition of the seven-day event in Colorado. As the race nears and information becomes available, ProVéloPassion will update this list of riders expected to start on August 20th in Durango. This list is subject to change with the final list to come from the race organization.
Riders with an * have been announced by the race organization as participating.
Riders who are Colorado residents have (CO) following their names.
World Tour teams
Jani Brajkovic at the 2011 Tour of Utah
Astana Pro Team (KAZ)
- Jani Brajkovic*
BMC Racing Team (USA)
- Cadel Evans*
- George Hincapie*
- Taylor Phinney (CO)
- Tejay van Garderen (CO)
Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda (USA)
- Alex Howes (CO)
- Peter Stetina
- Nathan Haas
- Tom Danielson (CO)
- Christian Vande Velde
Liquigas-Cannondale (ITA)
- Timmy Duggan*(CO)
- Ted King
Omega Pharma-QuickStep (BEL)
- Levi Leipheimer*
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek (LUX)
- Frank Schleck* [pending possible suspension]
- Chris Horner*
- Jens Voigt*
- Andy Schleck
- George Bennett
- Jakob Fuglsang
Professional Continental Teams
Champion System Pro Cycling Team (CHN)
- Craig Lewis (CO)
- Chris Butler
RusVelo (RUS)
Team SpiderTech powered by C10 (CAN)
- Lucas Euser (CO)
- Hugo Houle
Team Type 1-SANOFI (USA)
- Kiel Reijnen (CO)
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)
Continental Teams
Bissell Pro Cycling (USA)
- Chris Baldwin (CO)
- Ben Jacques-Maynes
- Julian Kyer (CO)
Bontrager Livestrong Team (USA)
EPM-UNE (COL)
Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)
Team Exergy (USA)
Andy Schleck, Tejay van Garderen, and Levi Leipheimer at the 2011 UPCC Avon start
Behind Beaver Creek Resort’s luxury tagline, “not exactly roughing it,” lies a destination that hosts the toughest competitors, and it welcomes the finish of stage 4 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC) on August 23rd.
The Beaver Creek valley’s settlers raised cattle and other crops, and discovered the area was ideal for growing lettuce. In the 1920’s farmers delivered crates of lettuce to ice-packed boxcars in Avon that transported the produce as far as the east coast.
Beaver Creek ski area from I-70
Beaver Creek’s population of 250 is the smallest of all of the 2012 UPCC host cities. It blooms in the winter when the ski resort, which is home to the World Cup Birds of Prey course, opens its trails to snow sports. Just below the resort is the town of Avon (population 5,725) which hosted a UPCC start in 2011.
Perhaps Beaver Creek’s reputation for luxury and pampering guests is what draws serious athletic events. The on-trail multi-day Gore-Tex TransRockies Run ends in Beaver Creek on August 19th. The resort hosted Tough Mudder in June and an XTERRA off-road triathlon will play out there in mid-July.
Softer-side athletes can ride a chairlift and traverse the mountainside to Beaver Lake. The Beaver Creek Hiking Center in the Summer Adventure Center in Beaver Creek Village will offer suggestions that suit all kinds of hikers, including privately-guided hikes.
The roads from Avon up to Beaver Creek Village where the UPCC finishes this August can be steep. Chris Baldwin on the BISSELL Pro Cycling Team calls the Beaver Creek finish a “sleeping giant” in this short video.
See also:
USA Pro Cycling Challenge host city, Durango: facts and fables
USA Pro Cycling Challenge host city, Telluride: facts and fables
USA Pro Cycling Challenge host city, Montrose: facts and fables
USA Pro Cycling Challenge host city, Mount / Crested Butte: facts and fables
USA Pro Cycling Challenge host city, Gunnison: facts and fables
USA Pro Cycling Challenge host city, Aspen: facts and fables
Pro-cyclist tattoo tales part 1 and part 2 launched with ten professional cyclists and their tattoos.
- Thibaut Pinot, FDJ BigMat (photo by Laurie Beylier, on Flickr)
It finishes here in part 3 together with the addition of one more cyclist, Thibaut Pinot who rides for FDJ BigMat. His tattoo is so perfectly written, so perfectly placed. Millions of viewers caught a glimpse of it when he raised his arms in victory while winning Stage 8 of the 2012 Tour de France in Porrentruy.
Etched on the back of his right upper arm, Pinot’s tattoo reads: “Sollo la vitoria e bella.”
“Only victory is beautiful.” Indeed, Pinot.
Ten tatto tales, ten answers
Whose tattoo do you like the best?
Tattoo 1, a heart, belongs to Elia Viviani on Liquigas-Cannondale. (photo by Mary Topping)
Elia Viviani (photo by Mary Topping)
- Tattoo 1
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Tattoo 2 appears on Ian Boswell’s hip; it’s a Scottish family crest. Boswell is on the development team Bontrager Livestrong. (photo by Mary Topping)
- Tattoo 2
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Tattoo 3 decorates the back of Matt Wilson, Orica-GreenEDGE. (photo by Mary Topping)
- Tattoo 3
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Mauro Santambrogio of BMC Racing Team is the owner of Tattoo 4. (crop of photo by Sean Weide)
Mauro Santambrogio (photo by Sean Weide)
- Tattoo 4
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Tattoo 5 graces the arm of Gregory Rast of RadioShack Nissan Trek. (crop of photo via RadioShack Nissan Trek)
Gregory Rast (photo via RadioShack Nissan Trek)
- Tattoo 5
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Tattoo 6, a fire-breathing dragon on Sylvain Chavanel’s calf. Chavanel is on Omega Pharma–Quick-Step.
- Tattoo 6
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Tattoo 7 across Leigh Howard’s shoulders. Howard rides for Orica-GreenEDGE. (photo by Mary Topping)
- Tattoo 7
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Yes, tattoo 8 is Jakob Fuglsang’s of RadioShack Nissan Trek. In 2007 he won the U-23 mountain bike world championship.
Jakob Fuglsang
- Tattoo 8
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You already know Tattoo 9 as Peter Sagan’s guardian angel. (photo by Mary Topping)
Peter Sagan giving autograph after stage 2 of 2012 Amgen Tour of California
- Tattoo 9
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Adam Myerson’s arms carry Tattoo 10. (photo by Roxanne King)
Adam Myerson (photo by Roxanne King)
- Tattoo 10
Myerson describes his tattoos a bit in this blog. An excerpt: “I have an arm full of dinosaur images because I grew up in love with dinosaurs like most little boys…”
[Many thanks to Laurie Beylier, Sean Weide, Team RadioShack Nissan Trek, and Roxanne King for their photos for this series.]
Timmy Duggan of Team Liquigas-Cannondale tweeted a photo of his new Cannondale, a tribute to his national champion status. Nice job, Cannondale.
Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) on his TT bike
Taylor Phinney of BMC Racing Team regularly opens the door into his professional and personal life via Twitter, his website, and interviews.
So Phinney’s a perfect fit for a ProVéloPassion Off the Beaten Road interview, a format for pro-cyclists to answer a set of “not your usual interview questions.”
In late June he opened the door to his 2012 Olympic preparation during a press conference in Boulder. He wore for jewelry a black woven bracelet on his left arm and a lacy pink bracelet on the right.
Referring to the black bracelet and its significance, Phinney said, “Max Sciandri, my team director, gave this to me…it has a cross on it. And then there’s ten of these [knots]; I’m not exactly sure what that’s supposed to mean. I believe it’s a religious significance but I’m not very religious. I just wear it because Max gave it to me and I like it.”
Max’s daughter gave him the pink lacy bracelet.
Q: What passions do you have outside of the bike?
“I’d say my dad’s health and my dad’s foundation is probably the most important thing in my life other than the bicycle. Anything beyond that…if you want to be a successful athlete you have to limit the amount of distractions and limit the amount of passions you can pursue. So, the bike is my main thing. I like to eat but I’m not really allowed to eat as much as I would like to.”
Phinney has donated to the Davis Phinney Foundation in the past; he recently provided pink jerseys for the foundation to auction off for fund-raising. In early June Phinney participated with his dad Davis, mom Connie, and sister Kelsey in the Road to Victory Bicycle Classic, a ride around Boulder, Colorado that benefits the foundation, whose mission is to improve the lives of people living with Parkinson’s.
“I just try to do anything that I can to help…whenever I’m back and whenever I have time I always like to make myself available.”
Q: What foods tempt you?
Phinney first responded to this question on the June 3rd TourChats web show where he mentioned American food, specifically hamburgers and chili cheese fries.
For Off the Beaten Road, Phinney added, “I usually have a buffalo burger over a normal burger…or a soy tofu burger [he smiled as he made this up – ed.] They do have an Ahi tuna burger at Lark Burger which is pretty good and probably healthy.” [Lark Burger is a fast food burger and fries place in Boulder – ed.]
As his cousin wrapped apple fritters for Phinney at Skratch Labs on the day of this interview, she mentioned Taylor prefers his training rice cakes with pieces of fruit.
Taylor Phinney enjoys an egg sandwich at Skratch Labs before training
Recently Phinney tweeted about his favorite sandwich from Dish Gourmet in Boulder. It’s now named the “Phinney Benny” in honor of Phinney as he prepares for the 2012 Olympic road and time trial races. The “Phinney Benny” is a breakfast sandwich with two fried eggs, spinach, parmeggiano grana, house roasted tomatoes, and garlic aioli on foccia bread.
Currently 10% of sales of that sandwich go to the Davis Phinney Foundation. If Phinney medals, the restaurant will match the amount raised through sandwich purchases.
Q: Why is it so hard to balance romance and racing?
“Well, you gotta find a girl – at least I gotta find a girl, that really understands what I do, understands the fact that I have to go to Europe and race my bike. For a lot of people in general, a lot of people who are outside of the sport don’t really understand [my lifestyle] fully. And it’s a tough balance because it would have to be relatively long distance and that takes a lot of time and energy and is also difficult.
“I had a pretty serious girlfriend last year but I didn’t ride my bike very well last year, and I’m riding my bike a lot better this year.”
When asked to further explain why he “didn’t ride my bike very well last year,” Phinney said, “She [girlfriend] would want to go shopping and go to the beach and go to Florence. She came and spent a lot of time in Italy with me…I was a little bit more focused on trying to make sure that she was happy and less focused on doing my job.
“It’s hard to do, because basically we don’t check into an office every day and have deadlines, and things like that. We are just expected to do our training and then go to races and that’s where we prove ourselves. So you have to be really motivated, really focused, and dedicated every single day to get out the door and do your job. And I was also new into the sport last year making a fair, a lot more money than I was the year before and that also changes things a little bit.”
Phinney summed it up with a gentle laugh: “For me it’s just easier to live by myself, sleep in my own bed by myself.”
Always giving
Just like his tremendous capacity for speed, it appears Phinney possesses a tremendous capacity to love, which fundamentally means giving of self.
It’s just a guess, but perhaps to thrive even more he needs to also be on the receiving end. He’ll get a huge helping of love from his family as he prepares for the Olympics — he’s staying with them in Boulder.
Why not supplement that? Love is in the air for you, Taylor Phinney.
***
Teams
2011 to present — BMC Racing Team
2010 — Team RadioShack (stagiere)
2009 to 2010 — Trek – Livestrong
2006 to 2008 — Slipstream Sports: junior team / 5280, TIAA-CREF, Team Felt-VMG
Career Highlights
- USPRO National road time trial championships, 1st 2010; National individual and team pursuit, points race track championships, 1st 2009; National individual and team pursuit, TT track championships, 1st 2008; National pursuit track championships, 1st 2007
- 2012 — 1st prologue, and three days in leader’s jersey, Giro d’Italia; 1st team time trial, Giro del Trentino
- 2011 — 1st prologue, Eneco Tour; 2nd prologue, Tour de Romandie
- 2010 — 1st U-23 World TT Championship; 1st prologue and stage 3 TT, Tour of Utah; 1st individual pursuit, World Track Championship; 1st U-23 Paris-Roubaix; 1st overall, Olympia’s Tour; 1st stage 4, Tour of the Gila; 1st prologue, Tour de l’Avenir
- 2009 — 1st individual pursuit, World Track Championship; 1st prologue, Fleche du Sud; 1st U-23 Paris-Roubaix
- 2008 — 1st, Junior World pursuit Track Championship; 7th, pursuit, 2008 Olympic Games
- 2007 — 1st, Junior World Championship time trial
Taylor-takes
As I refocused the video camera on him and commented that he was taller than the person I had test-focused on in the same seat, Phinney said, “Global warming.” Recently the six foot 5.5 inch tall Phinney tweeted, “I think I have finally stopped growing. Just in case you wanted to know that…”
As he rolled into the Skratch Labs store after a serious training ride on his TT bike and passed several journalists who awaited him for interview time, Phinney asked, “I have time to go home and get sexy?”
Taylor leaves Skratch Labs for training ride with Giro shoes
Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) wins stage 2 of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California
Parts 1 and 2 of “Guess who: pro-cyclist tattoo tales” indicated the answers to which rider wears which tattoo would be revealed in a part 3 of “tattoo tales.”
In light of Peter Sagan’s second Tour de France stage win today — according to The Guardian no first-time TDF competitor has won two stages since 1977 — he deserves special attention.
Sagan is the owner of tattoo #9, angel on a bike, drawn on his left bicep.
Perhaps it represents his guardian angel who helped him remain upright on the bike when others would have eaten asphalt while attempting a tripod when cornering at time trial speed during a TDF prologue?
Tattoo 9, photo from the 2012 Amgen Tour of California, by Mary Topping
Look forward to the next time he raises his arms in a victory salute to see if the camera captures his angel.
ProVéloPassion 