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Tour Of Utah: Prologue

Here it is August 2010.  The top teams in North America are gathered in Utah for the Tour Of Utah.  By now you know BMC has successfully petitioned to ride the this years edition in their home colors. BMC brings Jeff Louder to attempt a repeat of his 2008 win.  Fresh from a resounding win at the Leadville 100 is Levi Leiphiemer, an alumni of the Salt Lake cycling scene. Leiphiemer will race unattached this week, and looks for a stage win.  The field is filled with the usual North American NRC powers. United Healthcare brings Marc de Maar in what may be his final race on American soil before he heads back to Europe next season with Quickstep.  Team Type 1 will bring peloton funny man Mike Creed, while Holowesko Partners U-23 returns to Utah with Alex "Hotdog" Howes, and a deep supporting cast.  The full lineups are listed here: Tour Of Utah Teams

 

The fun starts Tuesday evening at the State Capitol with a short out and back prolog chrono.  The prolog is 2 miles, uphill out and downhill on the return leg.  Start and finish are side by side on the east side of the Utah State Capitol Building.  Expect strong rides from the likes of Leiphiemer, Louder, Bookwalter, Ben Day, Phil Zajicek and defending champion Fransico Mancebo.  Mancebo, who found himself adrift with the demise of Rock Racing, has landed a spot with local power Canyon Cycles for the upcoming weeks festivities.Prologue_medium

via www.tourofutah.com

Following the prolog, the race turns immediately serious Wednesday with an 85 mile romp from Ogden to Salt Lake City.  Stage one will also include two stout climbs.  First up Ogden Canyon and over Trappers Loop and the second up the north side of Big Mountain.