hoggel

The Tour of Utah is a tough six stage race with some good international competition. Most of the teams are here as prep for the US Pro Challenge in CO Aug 19-25.

Today's Stage 2 of the Tour of Utah is on Utah State Route 12, arguably one of the most spectacular driving roads in the US. Check out the route map in satellite view. Especially miles 68-114 are incredible, the Hogback (aerial pic below) is something to behold. The picture of the U curve in slickrock in not an aerial view. It is from the edge of the road on the switchback above. The stage ranges in altitude from 5200 feet to 9600 feet passing by/through Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument, Boulder Mountain, and Capitol Reef National Park.

I love to drive this road in the Porsche, stay at the Boulder Mtn Lodge and eat at the Hell's Backbone Grill.

Check out the Tour of Utah action on Fox Sports Network or on the computer/mobile with the Tour of Utah tour tracker app. If you are outside the USA it's on Eurosport2.

I have no affiliation with any of the above other than being a fan of cycling and the So Utah vistas.

cgfen

THANKS!

k722070

the previous final stage finished at snowbird and for years I only had to walk 3 blocks to watch the race go by. a few years ago it was just a dozen or so people watching, last year there were at least 200 spectators at the end of the block to watch the race. people had lawn chairs, brought kids, even 2 vendors showed up.
and now they've changed the schedule and course and the nearest will be 5 miles away.

on the other hand these psychos will be climbing guardsman pass, downhill in big cottonwood and then climbing back up little cottonwood, very intense.
if you ride and are signed up at ridewithgps.com plug that 5th stage in and check out the vertical.

osugasman

Awesome. Thx for sharing!!

ECS Tuning

I have yet to make it out to Utah yet, but these pictures and articles are making want to go more and more. Thank you for sharing.

hoggel

Yeah, some changes this year. They tried to involve more of the state. No time trial at Miller Motorsports Park. No Park City circuit.

Stage 3 tomorrow climbs Mt Nebo. Stages 5 and 6 both have some serious climbing.

I suppose the easiest day is the Salt Lake City circuit on Friday at only 38 miles and 3500 feet of elevation change. But it is going to be FULL GAS the whole way and the temp is supposed to be 97 degrees.

I'm going to go somewhere near Reservoir Park on Friday. Hope to ride my bike to Wasatch Blvd above La Caille to see them go by on Saturday. On Sunday I may tour up Big Cottonwood with the IRPCA then continue on over Guardsman Pass to see them come up Pine Canyon Rd.

Below pics are Mt Nebo (stage 3). Looking down Big Cottonwood Canyon from Guardsman Pass where the riders will be plummeting as fast as the potholes will allow, probably 50-60mph and then looking down Little Cottonwood Canyon where the riders will be climbing up to the finish at Snowbird (stage 5). There will be no snow on Saturday. The Rob DeGraff photo of pink flowers is looking down Pine Canyon where they will be climbing up before another drop to the final stage 6 finish in Park City on Sunday.

hoggel

That was exciting! Watched parts of the last three stages. Tommy Danielson rode an incredible stage 6 climb up Empire Pass to take the overall victory. Empire Pass is one of the three most difficult routes used in UCI cycling but over 3000 feet higher in altitude than the other two.

I was in the 993 with my three year old son sitting at a stop sign in Park City before stage 6 (traffic jam) and Jens Voigt came riding slowly by with another rider I didn't recognize. I yelled, "Hey Jens!" He stopped, leaned all the way in the car behind me to give my son in the back a fist bump. About 15 minutes before race time! I'm an even bigger Jens fan now.

Some random pics from the web.

hoggel

The stage 4 circuit downtown was as exciting as we thought it was going to be. It was five laps of the circuit, each lap ~7 miles and 1000 feet of elevation change. They averaged over 30mph and hit over 60mph going down Virginia Ave. My three year old son was having a great time yelling go go go and ringing the cowbell.




Jen Voigt at >50mph on the street. Don't try this at home.

hoggel

In France the stage winner gets roses and Champagne. In Utah they get a branding iron and whiskey.

Francisco Mancebo, the winner of grueling Stage 6.

996scott

I didn't get to see any in person this year like I did in years past but still checked the tv for updates every now and then. Really a very well put together event. A friend of mine is the main guy with Miller that is in charge and he says they are trying really hard to grow it into a world class event.

race911

Well, it was different driving a bike race stage, as opposed to one for an auto rally. (When you go rally spectating, or are the support crew, you usually don't have the luxury of asphalt.) But we made our way over the hill Friday afternoon from playing the Wasatch Mountain course back to Park City in a weezy rental Civic that probably wasn't going faster than the cyclists would be doing over the weekend. That road would be entertaing in a softly sprung, square tired forced induction 911 of some sort.

95 C4 993

God Bless High West Whiskey!!!

TMc993

And what does this have to do with 993's? OT or a bike fourm would be a more appropriate location to post this stuff.