Tour of Utah set for Prologue Stage in St. George
Cyclists representing 20 countries are listed on the preliminary rosters for the 17 men’s teams set to compete in the 14th annual Tour of Utah, which will begin in Cedar City and then make its first stop in St. George for the Prologue Stage Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. The race touts 31 riders with Grand Tour experience and 25 riders who have won national championships.
Among the Tour of Utah alumni returning to compete in this year’s race include eight stage winners and seven classification jersey winners, including two General Classification champions. Canadian Rob Britton will lead Rally Cycling to defend his 2017 overall title. American climber Joe Dombrowski, who captured the overall General Classification crown in 2015, will also return.
This year’s event also features 13 riders who have competed in all three races in the Grand Tours of professional cycling: the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España. Eleven others have raced two of the events.
The prologue time trial will be held near the Red Hills Desert Garden on the bluff overlooking St. George. The competitors will start in one-minute intervals beginning at 10 a.m., racing against the clock on a 3.3-mile, out-and-back course on Red Hills Parkway.
“I always enjoy and appreciate when the Tour of Utah has a prologue or a non-uphill time trial,” said American Brent Bookwalter of BMC Racing Team, who tallied a stage win in 2017 and a Utah Sports Commission Sprint classification jersey in 2015. “By adding in a prologue, it balances out the race a bit and forces the climbers to be in their best form in the race against the clock.”
Taylor Eisenhart, who grew up in Lehi, is the only rider who is a Utah native.
Other events will accompany the Stage 1 Prologue, including the Healthy Living Expo at 8:30 a.m. at the Red Hills Desert Garden and a race for children ages 4–12 at 9:15 a.m.
Red Hills Parkway will be closed for the event, but free spectator shuttles and parking are available at the DSU Testing Center, located at 954 E. Tabernacle St. Spectators who want to cycle to the event are invited to park at the Elks Lodge at 630 W 1250 N and ride from there to the expo via the paved trail system along Red Hills Parkway.
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