2011 Tour of Utah Preview

The 2011 Tour of Utah touted as America's Toughest Stage Race, with thirty thousand feet of climbing, begins with a prologue time trial at Park City, Utah, on August 9, 2011. The race has been updated to from a USA Cycling sanctioned race, to UCI 2.1, which has increased the stature of the race, and the quality and number of participating teams. The course has been altered significantly, the Ogden, Morgan, Big Mountain, Emigration Canyon, Research Park stage has been changed to a loop starting and ending in Ogden, Utah. And the downtown criterium that circled in a flat loop around the Salt Lake City Public Library has been expanded to include a very large area downtown, with a steep uphill wall past the Utah State Capitol Building on Bonneville Boulevard, a loop and descent to flat riding past the Salt Lake City Cemetery on 11th Avenue, then a quick hair raising descent down Virgina Street, to a turnaround point on President's Circle on the University of Utah Campus, then a short and quick descent to South Temple and flat riding with a slight downhill slope back to Bonneville Boulevard and back up the wall. Virgina street seems to have a very rough pavement surface with numerous exposed sewer lids, beware! but the University of Utah seems to be engaged in a resurfacing project of President's Circle, for aesthetic purposes? the condition of South Temple looks bad in some spots too.

The time trial at Miller Sports Park has not changed and the queen stage up Little Cottonwood Canyon has not changed.

Who will win the 2011 Tour of Utah? The best team, if everyone stays healthy, would be BMC, with Jeff Louder, Winner of the 2008 Tour of Utah. Brent Bookwalter, and George Hincapie. In 2010, George Hincapie had an unexpected crash and withdrawal from the Tour Of Utah after a freak accident on the Mount Nebo climb which injured his knee. Nevertheless, BMC has the most experienced team and should be dangerous contenders.

Team Radioshack has fielded a team with defending Tour of Utah champion Levi Leipheimer and rock hard teammate Jason McCartny. Even though Levi Leipheimer did not have an over successful 2011 Tour de France, suffering from multiple crashes, and finishing the race twenty minutes behind race leader Cadel Evans, he should still be regarded as the favorite to win the 2011 Tour of Utah.

Then there is realcyclist.com pure climber Mancebo Francisco "Paco" Perez the winner of the 2009 Tour of Utah and runner up in the 2010 Tour of Utah. If there is not a major accident or illness the race may come down to a duel up Little Cottonwood Canyon in queen stage 5 between Levi Leipheimer and "Paco."

However, there are other competent contenders who could throw a wrench in the mix. Garmin-Cervelo sports Christian Vande Velde cannot be ignored, a very consistent, tough UCI pro tour rider. United Health Care features Rory Suterland a exceptional professional with a very extensive history of success. And HTC Highroad features Danny Pate who was under twenty three time trial champion, who should not be considered a threat on general classification, but who could win the time trial stages and provide a great deal of entertainment for raced starved fans. Then there is the wild card team Gobernacion De Antioquia-Indeportes Antio with a group of Coumbian riders born to climb and an unknown factor...

The Final Podium

1) Francisco "Paco" Mancebo Perez
2) Levi Leipheimer
3) Christian Vande Velde

See you there!