Rory Sutherland Wins Opening Stage of the 2012 Tour of Utah

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The Tour of Utah Peloton on Stage 1 of the 2012 edition. Photo: Steven Sheffield.

Gallery by Steven Sheffield:

 

Another photo gallery by Dave Richards

By Jared Eborn

 

OGDEN – The only thing hotter than the temperatures for Stage One of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah might have been the action on the roads.

 

With the thermometer slipping past the 100-degree mark by the time the 131-mile race ended, the 129-rider field was greeted to the 2012 edition of ‘America’s Toughest Stage Race’ with yet another epic instrument of suffering.

 

And by the time all was said and done, UnitedHealthCare’s Rory Sutherland blew past a lead group of 40 strong riders to take the victory on Ogden’s Historic 25th Street.

 

“It’s been six years of trying to do it and it finally worked,” said Sutherland, describing his team’s long-awaited trip to the top step of a podium in an American UCI-sanctioned race. “The first day of the tour, we managed get the yellow jersey and a stage win. Everything else from here on is a bonus, so we can try and enjoy this tour more than normal.”

 

Liquigas-Cannondale’s Damiano Caruso was second with BMC’s Brent Bookwalter close behind in third.

 

Sutherland’s burst of speed came after one long day of work. Stage One began in Ogden and returned after a loop through the Ogden Valley, the Morgan Valley and East Canyon with a quick trip down to Henefer for good measure.

 

After a few uneventful attempts to establish a breakaway, a group of four riders finally escaped and worked on building a gap as the peloton approached Trapper’s Loop for the first time. Ben Jaques-Maynes (Bissell), David Williams (Competitive Cyclist), Caleb Fairley (Spidertech p/b C10) and Eduard Beltran (EPM-UNE) sped off into the distance while the peloton braced itself for the remainder of the week’s work. After Champion System’s Willliam Clarke bridged the gap to make it a five-man break, the lead stretched to more than 10 minutes as they rolled past East Canyon Reservoir.

 

Paced by the Radio Shack-Nissan-Trek and Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda teams, the peloton rallied to bring the breakaway riders back over the final 60 miles of the stage. Though Jesse Anthony, the 2011 winner in Ogden’s Tour of Utah stage, had left the group and bridged to make it a six-man break, the chase group of 100-plus riders was too strong for the breakaway to succeed. After the catch was made on the ascent of the North Ogden Divide, a group of 40 pulled away from the field and fired off attack after attack as the finish line approached.

 

Utah favorite Dave Zabriskie nearly made his solo attack stick as he bolted from the field with 5K to go and built a 10-15 second advantage, only to be pulled back in with a little more than three kilometers left to race.

Sutherland patiently waited until the race entered downtown Ogden and worked his way to the front of the group as they swept through a trio of 90-degree turns in the final kilometer. Sitting in third wheel and without his customary leadout train coming out of the final turn, Sutherland said he waited a few seconds to pick his line and sprung his attack at just the right moment, winning the race pulling away.

 

“To get that (the win), at altitude, in hot temperatures, is a pretty hard way to start the Tour. The last climb was definitely hard, especially after how far we had already ridden,” said Sutherland, who lives and trains in Colorado. He recently won the 2012 Tour of the Gila in New Mexico and Tour de Beauce in Quebec. “I’ve been trying to win one of these for six years in the U.S. and finally had the abilities to get one done. So this is huge for me and for my team.”

 

The 10-second time bonus gives Sutherland a 4-second edge over Caruso and 6-second lead over Bookwalter. The bulk of the 40-man lead group finished safely together and has a 10-second gap to make up for a shot at the yellow jersey.

 

“The final 20 kilometers were pretty chaotic,” said Bookwalter “You have a climb like, that close to the finish and you just try to make it over the climb … and survive.”

 

Jaques-Maynes took advantage of his time in the breakaway to win the Ski Utah King of the Mountains jersey. Bontrager-Livestrong’s Lawson Craddock (USA) captured the Subaru Best Young Rider (under 23) and today’s second-place finisher Caruso will wear the XO Communications Sprint jersey.

 

Skyline High grad Connor O’Leary (Bontrager Livestrong) was the highest placed Utah-based athlete to finish Stage One, 4:45 behind the leaders.  He was awarded the Miller Light Best Utah Rider jersey.

 

Two-time defending Tour of Utah champion Levi Leipheimer, along with 2009 Tour of Utah winner Francisco Mancebo, 2012 Olympian Chris Horner and Dave Zabriskie all finished safely in the pack of 40 riders behind Sutherland.

 

Stage Two, rare team time trial, will be held Wednesday at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele. The 13.5-mile course is a three-lap race against the clock on the fast and flat race track west of Salt Lake City. Teams will race together in a tight formation with the team’s time being that of the fifth rider to cross the finish line. Racing begins at 12:45 p.m. and will wrap up at approximately 3:45 p.m.

 

Stage 1 Results:

 

PositionNo.UCI CodeRiderTeamTeamTimeGapBonusesPenalty
191AUS19820208SUTHERLAND RoryUnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamUHC5:25:410:00:0010
253ITA19871012CARUSO DamianoLiquigas-CannondaleLIQ5:25:410:00:006
321USA19840216BOOKWALTER BrentBMC Racing TeamBMC5:25:410:00:004
4153USA19920220CRADDOCK LawsonBontrager Livestrong TeamBLS5:25:410:00:00
572CZE19871115KOENIG LeopoldTeam NetAppAPP5:25:410:00:00
624SUI19860929SCHÄR MichaelBMC Racing TeamBMC5:25:410:00:00
716USA19760522VANDEVELDE ChristianGarmin-Sharp-BarracudaGRS5:25:410:00:00
822SUI19861209FRANK MathiasBMC Racing TeamBMC5:25:410:00:00
9111USA19751015BALDWIN ChristopherBissell Pro CyclingBPC5:25:410:00:00
1023ITA19840430SANTAROMITA IvanBMC Racing TeamBMC5:25:410:00:00
1183USA19831205EUSER LucasTeam Spidertech p/b C10SPI5:25:410:00:00
12132USA19730501BAJADALI AndrewTeam Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesOPT5:25:410:00:00
1384USA19870219FAIRLY CalebTeam Spidertech p/b C10SPI5:25:410:00:00
14121ESP19760309MANCEBO PEREZ FranciscoCompetitive Cyclist Racing TeamRCC5:25:410:00:00
1582MEX19900126DE LUNA FlavioTeam Spidertech p/b C10SPI5:25:410:00:00
1627SUI19880927FLUECKIGER MathiasBMC Racing TeamBMC5:25:410:00:00
17124USA19861205JENKINS MaxCompetitive Cyclist Racing TeamRCC5:25:410:00:00
1831USA19711023HORNER ChristopherRadioshack-Nissan-TrekRNT5:25:410:00:00
1932NZL19900407BENNETT GeorgeRadioshack-Nissan-TrekRNT5:25:410:00:00
2033USA19850509BUSCHE MatthewRadioshack-Nissan-TrekRNT5:25:410:00:00
21117USA19880515KYER JulianBissell Pro CyclingBPC5:25:410:00:00
22163COL19800513COLORADO HERNANDEZ Francisco JarleyEPM-UNEEPM5:25:410:00:00
2396AUS19781211DAY BenjaminUnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamUHC5:25:410:00:00
241USA19731024LEIPHEIMER LeviOmega Pharma-QuickStepOPQ5:25:410:00:00
25102USA19880216BUTLER ChrisChampion System Pro Cycling TeamCSS5:25:410:00:00
26151NZL19920628ATKINS JoshuaBontrager Livestrong TeamBLS5:25:410:00:00
2715USA19870808STETINA PeterGarmin-Sharp-BarracudaGRS5:25:410:00:00
2893IRL19830907DEIGNAN PhilipUnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamUHC5:25:410:00:00
29162COL19881124CASTIBLANCO CUBIDES Jorge CamiloEPM-UNEEPM5:25:410:00:00
3041NED19910325KELDERMAN WilcoRabobank Cycling TeamRAB5:25:410:00:00
3111USA19780313DANIELSON ThomasGarmin-Sharp-BarracudaGRS5:25:410:00:00
3251USA19821114DUGGAN TimothyLiquigas-CannondaleLIQ5:25:410:00:00
33134USA19810108CREED MichaelTeam Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesOPT5:25:410:00:00
34143USA19790805COOKE MathewTeam ExergyXRG5:25:410:00:00
35152USA19910207BOSWELL IanBontrager Livestrong TeamBLS5:25:410:00:00
3626USA19900628WARBASSE LawrenceBMC Racing TeamBMC5:25:410:00:00
3725SUI19820701TSCHOPP JohannBMC Racing TeamBMC5:25:410:00:00
3843NED19870607KRUIJSWIJK StevenRabobank Cycling TeamRAB5:25:410:00:00
3917USA19790112ZABRISKIE DavidGarmin-Sharp-BarracudaGRS5:25:410:00:00
40154USA19910512DOMBROWSKI Joseph LloydBontrager Livestrong TeamBLS5:25:410:00:00
41131USA19850612ANTHONY JesseTeam Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesOPT5:26:520:01:11
42133USA19750226CANDELARIO AlexanderTeam Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesOPT5:26:52
43165COL 1988081OYOLA OYOLA Robigzon LeandroEPM-UNEEPM5:26:52
4475SUI19860625WYSS MarcelTeam NetAppAPP5:26:52
45114USA19890227JONES CarterBissell Pro CyclingBPC5:26:52
46127USA19750123OLHEISER MikeCompetitive Cyclist Racing TeamRCC5:26:52
47141USA19730903RODRIGUEZ FredTeam ExergyXRG5:26:52
4847NED19901130GOOS MarcRabobank Cycling TeamRAB5:26:52
49166COL19820604PIAMONTE RODRIGUEZ Freddy OrlandoEPM-UNEEPM5:26:52
50167COL19900118BELTRAN SUAREZ Eduard AlexanderEPM-UNEEPM5:26:52
51107AUS19830803WURF CameronChampion System Pro Cycling TeamCSS5:26:52
5288DEN19811204VANDBORG BrianTeam Spidertech p/b C10SPI5:26:52
5386CAN19830110ROTH RyanTeam Spidertech p/b C10SPI5:26:52
54161COL19840828INFANTINO ABREU RafaelEPM-UNEEPM5:26:570:01:16
552SVK19850221VELITS MartinOmega Pharma-QuickStepOPQ5:30:160:04:35
563SVK19850221VELITS PeterOmega Pharma-QuickStepOPQ5:30:16
5762NED19880927VAN ZANDBEEK RonanTeam Argos-ShimanoARG5:30:16
58142COL19840120DIAZ CORRALES AndresTeam ExergyXRG5:30:16
5934USA19890322KING BenjaminRadioshack-Nissan-TrekRNT5:30:16
6054USA19830131KING EdwardLiquigas-CannondaleLIQ5:30:16
61156USA19910618O’LEARY ConnorBontrager Livestrong TeamBLS5:30:16
6252ITA19850106AGNOLI ValerioLiquigas-CannondaleLIQ5:30:16
6355ITA19801210LONGO BORGHINI PaoloLiquigas-CannondaleLIQ5:30:16
6446NED19890701SLAGTER Tom JelteRabobank Cycling TeamRAB5:30:16
6536AUT19821223ROHREGGER ThomasRadioshack-Nissan-TrekRNT5:30:16
66113USA19780922JACQUES-MAYNES BenBissell Pro CyclingBPC5:30:16
67126USA19870331SHELDON TaylorCompetitive Cyclist Racing TeamRCC5:30:16
68118USA19900303SCHMALZ JosephBissell Pro CyclingBPC5:30:16
69147MDA19881229TVETCOV SergheiTeam ExergyXRG5:30:16
7076SUI19821015DIETZIKER AndreasTeam NetAppAPP5:30:16
7181CAN19900428BOILY DavidTeam Spidertech p/b C10SPI5:30:16
7266FRA19810929SPRICK MatthieuTeam Argos-ShimanoARG5:30:16
73155USA19910824MANNION GavinBontrager Livestrong TeamBLS5:30:16
74101USA19850110LEWIS CraigChampion System Pro Cycling TeamCSS5:30:16
7514USA19910313RATHE JacobGarmin-Sharp-BarracudaGRS5:30:16
76157NZL19930617ORAM JamesBontrager Livestrong TeamBLS5:30:16
7785CAN19900927HOULE HugoTeam Spidertech p/b C10SPI5:30:16
78138USA19770529ZWIZANSKI ScottTeam Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesOPT5:30:16
7977SUI19850822HOLLENSTEIN RetoTeam NetAppAPP5:30:16
8087CAN19830523ROUTLEY WillTeam Spidertech p/b C10SPI5:30:16
81137CAN19871002SALAS SebastianTeam Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesOPT5:30:16
8297USA19790806JONES ChristopherUnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamUHC5:30:16
8398USA19771208LOUDER JeffryUnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamUHC5:30:16
84168COL19911016GOMEZ PINEDA Javier EduardoEPM-UNEEPM5:32:250:06:44
85136USA19760522MUMFORD ReidTeam Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesOPT5:32:25
8674ITA19870803BENEDETTI CesareTeam NetAppAPP5:32:25
8764FRA19840502HUGUET YannTeam Argos-ShimanoARG5:32:25
8845AUS19900926MATTHEWS MichaelRabobank Cycling TeamRAB5:32:370:06:56
89148USA19830704JOHNSON SamTeam ExergyXRG5:34:010:08:20
90145USA19850103SCHMITT MorganTeam ExergyXRG5:34:01
9173GER19830713SCHILLINGER AndreasTeam NetAppAPP5:34:01
925BEL19880814HOORNE JeroenOmega Pharma-QuickStepOPQ5:34:01
9394GER19780127FORSTER RobertUnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamUHC5:34:01
9442NED19890908BOL JetseRabobank Cycling TeamRAB5:34:500:09:09
95128USA19861209BURNETT IanCompetitive Cyclist Racing TeamRCC5:34:50
96144SUI19891006GIANETTI NoeTeam ExergyXRG5:34:50
9795USA19870618KEOUGH JacobeUnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamUHC5:34:50
98125USA19880619WILLIAMS DavidCompetitive Cyclist Racing TeamRCC5:34:50
9938SUI19810509ZAUGG OliverRadioshack-Nissan-TrekRNT5:34:50
100122AUS19830121NANKERVIS TommyCompetitive Cyclist Racing TeamRCC5:34:50
101158BEL19920417STUYVEN JasperBontrager Livestrong TeamBLS5:34:50
102108CHN19840128XU GangChampion System Pro Cycling TeamCSS5:34:50
10361GER19870407GRETSCH PatrickTeam Argos-ShimanoARG5:34:50
10435NED19810308POSTHUMA JoostRadioshack-Nissan-TrekRNT5:34:50
105146USA19870525CARLSEN KirkTeam ExergyXRG5:34:50
10671POL19801027HUZARSKI BartoszTeam NetAppAPP5:34:50
10744NED19851226LEEZER ThomasRabobank Cycling TeamRAB5:34:50
10863NED19850515STAMSNIJDER TomTeam Argos-ShimanoARG5:34:50
10965FRA19890510BONNIN ThomasTeam Argos-ShimanoARG5:34:50
11056ITA19880106BENFATTO MarcoLiquigas-CannondaleLIQ5:34:50
111112NZL19801006VENNELL JeremyBissell Pro CyclingBPC5:34:50
112116USA19901029VANIAS AlexBissell Pro CyclingBPC5:34:50
113106GER19840817FRIEDMANN MatthiasChampion System Pro Cycling TeamCSS5:34:50
11412USA19840602FARRAR TylerGarmin-Sharp-BarracudaGRS5:34:50
11567GER19861031KLEMME DominicTeam Argos-ShimanoARG5:34:50
11668SWE19900216AHLSTRAND JonasTeam Argos-ShimanoARG5:34:50
11713AUS19890312HAAS NathanGarmin-Sharp-BarracudaGRS5:34:50
11818USA19880101HOWES AlexGarmin-Sharp-BarracudaGRS5:34:50
1194IRL19850607BRAMMEIER MattOmega Pharma-QuickStepOPQ5:34:50
12092AUS19790711CLARKE HiltonUnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamUHC5:34:50
121135CAN19850822COOPER MarshTeam Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesOPT5:34:50
122123NED19831212RABOU ThomasCompetitive Cyclist Racing TeamRCC5:34:50
123104CHN19860213JIAO PengdaChampion System Pro Cycling TeamCSS5:39:250:13:44
124105CHN19880315LIU BiaoChampion System Pro Cycling TeamCSS5:40:460:15:05
1256ITA19801127CHICCHI FrancescoOmega Pharma-QuickStepOPQ5:41:520:16:11
126164COL19870317RINCON DIAZ RamiroEPM-UNEEPM5:41:52
127103AUS19850411CLARKE WilliamChampion System Pro Cycling TeamCSS5:41:5210
128115USA19880607BARTON ChrisBissell Pro CyclingBPC5:44:420:19:01
12937GER19710917VOIGT JensRadioshack-Nissan-TrekRNT5:44:42
 Number of not started: 0
 Number of starters: 129
 Number remaining: 129
 Riders after time limit: —
 Riders dropping out: —
 Last calculated: 7-08, 17.01 (Mountain Daylight Time)
 Classification software: StageRace 2005 software  —  www.stagerace.com
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