Posted by Editoress on 08/10/15
American Joe Dombrowski (Team Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling) fended off the top cyclists in the world and earned the top prize at the 2015 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah in front of huge crowds in Park City on Sunday.
“It was a great week for us as a team. I'll definitely remember yesterday's stage, winning the stage and taking yellow. It was really a great team effort today. They did a super job controlling the race going into the final climb, and then put me in the right spot, and from there, it was just follow everybody,” said the 24-year-old Dombrowski, riding his first year with Team Cannondale-Garmin. He finished fourth overall at the 2012 Tour of Utah while riding for the Trek-Livestrong team.
Stage 7 presented by VLCM/Barracuda found a select group of riders battling for the overall victory on the Hors Category (HC) climb of Empire Pass, one of the hardest climbs in the world, followed by the thrilling descent into Park City. Two riders escaped atop the 10 kilometre climb with Australian Lachlan Norris (Drapac Professional Cycling) and American Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team.) Blasting downhill at speeds reaching 60 miles per hour, Norris out dueled Bookwalter for the Stage 7 win.
Norris finished the 78-mile (126km) stage in a time of three hours and 14 minutes, with Bookwalter on his wheel. Natnael Berhane (Team MTN-Qhubeka presented by Samsung) led the seven-rider chase group across the finish line for third place, 20 seconds later.
“I was pretty excited. It's a big win for me and huge for the team as well,” Norris said of the biggest victory of his seven-year career. “I knew the descent pretty well. I actually said to the mechanic this morning to let 10 psi out [of the tire pressure] and I'll give it a red-hot crack on the descent, so I had that as a plan.”
The 11th edition of the Tour of Utah, known as “America’s Toughest Stage Race” included 712 miles (1146 km) of racing and 51,442 feet (15,680 metres) of elevation gain for the 2.HC stage race. Over the course of seven days of hard racing, four different riders wore the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Overall Leader’s yellow jersey until Dombrowski climbed into the lead on the Queen Stage Saturday.
“I think it's a pretty difficult race,” added Dombrowski. “It's kind of the perfect storm of things that makes it a pretty tough race. But I think that's what is great about it. Maybe some of the other American races are lacking a little bit in that regard, in terms of really defining stages. Colorado is interesting because it's a bit more tactical, but they don't have really hard climbs like this.”
At the post-race press conference in Park City, Jenn Andrs, executive director of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, announced that the 2016 men’s professional stage race will take place August 1-7.
“It exceeded our expectations this year with some tremendous winners and some wonderful racing. I'd like to recognize our champion Joe Dombrowski with the Cannondale-Garmin team, and also the winner of our women's race, Hannah Barnes from UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team. Both are tremendous champions of the Tour of Utah and we look forward to them coming back in 2016,” stated Andrs.
With a final time of 28 hours, six minutes and 48 seconds, Dombrowski claimed the overall victory at the Tour of Utah. Canadian Michael Woods (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) finished second, 50 seconds back. Bookwalter moved up to third overall in the general classification with his second-place finish on Stage 7. Pre-race favorites Fränk Schleck (Trek Factory Racing) and Chris Horner (Airgas Safeway Cycling Team) finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Salt Lake City resident Robbie Squire (Hincapie Racing Team) retained his ninth-place on G.C.
“Going into today, my dream scenario that I was envisioning was winning the stage, getting onto the podium and getting the points jersey. That was the ideal outcome,” said Bookwalter who also won the Utah Sports Commission Sprint Leader jersey. “I did two out of three. I came up a couple hundred (yards) short on the third of three. I'm proud of my ride and I am really proud of my boys here this week.”
Berhane was awarded the Vivint Most Aggressive Rider jersey. Greg Daniel (Axeon Cycling Team) successfully defended the Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain Leader jersey. Placing eighth overall put 19-year old Daniel Martinez (Team Colombia) in the Subaru Best Young Rider jersey. Fans selected Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) as the America First Credit Union Fan Favorite in the Best Overall Fan Favorite category. Team Colombia won the Washakie Renewable Energy Best Team classification.
Results
Stage 7: Park City, 125.5 km | |
1 Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 3:14:51 |
2 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team | at s.t. |
3 Natnael Berhane (Eri) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:20 |
4 Robbie Squire (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | |
5 Christopher Horner (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | |
6 Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | |
7 Lachlan Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | |
8 Daniel Martínez (Col) Colombia | |
9 Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Team Cannondale-Garmin | all s.t. |
10 Rob Britton (Can) Team SmartStop | 0:48 |
11 Michael Woods (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 0:20 |
12 Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team SmartStop | 1:34 |
13 Walter Pedraza (Col) Colombia | s.t. |
14 Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 1:41 |
15 Jorge Castiblanco (Col) Colombia | 1:44 |
16 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Axeon Cycling Team | |
17 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | both s.t. |
18 Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team | 1:57 |
19 Brendan Canty (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts | s.t. |
20 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 2:53 |
21 Robin Carpenter (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 2:56 |
22 Dion Smith (NZl) Hincapie Racing Team | 3:10 |
23 Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team | 3:11 |
24 Chris Butler (USA) Team SmartStop | 3:14 |
25 Carlos Mario Ramirez (Col) Colombia | 3:25 |
26 Cayetano Sarmiento (Col) Colombia | s.t. |
27 Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 3:31 |
28 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team | 3:33 |
29 Julian Bernard (Fra) Trek Factory Racing | 3:58 |
30 Leonardo Basso (Ita) Trek Factory Racing | s.t. |
31 Luis Lemus (Mex) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | 4:37 |
32 Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 5:07 |
33 Timothy Roe (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | s.t. |
34 Daniel Eaton (USA) Axeon Cycling Team | 5:37 |
35 Connor McCutcheon (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | 6:05 |
36 Griffin Easter (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | s.t. |
37 Samuel Spokes (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 6:12 |
38 Nicolae Tanovitchii (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 7:04 |
39 Kilian Frankiny (Irl) BMC Racing Team | 7:06 |
40 Alex Howes (USA) Team Cannondale-Garmin | 7:08 |
41 Songezo Jim (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 8:03 |
42 Benjamin King (USA) Team Cannondale-Garmin | 8:09 |
43 Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | s.t. |
44 Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Team Cannondale-Garmin | both s.t. |
45 Edwin Avila (Col) Colombia | 8:13 |
46 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 8:18 |
47 Justin Mauch (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | s.t. |
48 Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN - Qhubeka | both s.t. |
49 Alexandr Braico (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 8:20 |
50 Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts | 8:50 |
51 James Oram (NZl) Axeon Cycling Team | 9:14 |
52 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | s.t. |
53 Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 9:23 |
54 Calvin Watson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing | 10:22 |
55 Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Cycling Team | s.t. |
56 Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 10:45 |
57 John Hornbeck (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 12:13 |
58 Gavin Mannion (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 12:14 |
59 Joseph Schmalz (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | s.t. |
60 Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | both s.t. |
61 Luca Chirico (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 13:16 |
62 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team | 14:55 |
63 Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 15:16 |
64 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 15:18 |
65 Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | |
66 Jasper Bovenhuis (Ned) Team Cannondale-Garmin | |
67 Edward King (USA) Team Cannondale-Garmin | |
68 Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
69 Fabio Silvestre (Por) Trek Factory Racing | |
70 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Cycling Team | |
71 Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | |
72 Brodie Talbot (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts | |
73 Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home | |
74 Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team | all s.t. |
75 Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 15:30 |
76 Michael Torckler (NZl) Team Budget Forklifts | 15:35 |
77 Jack Anderson (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts | s.t. |
78 Mackenzie Brennan (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 15:39 |
79 Erik Slack (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | s.t. |
80 Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | both s.t. |
81 Josh Berry (NZl) Team Budget Forklifts | 15:48 |
82 David Williams (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home | s.t. |
83 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 15:56 |
84 Steve Fisher (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | |
85 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
86 Gregory Brenes Obando (CRc) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home | |
87 Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | |
88 Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
89 Cullen Easter (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | |
90 Kevin Gottlieb (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | |
91 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
92 Manuel Francesco Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
93 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | all s.t. |
94 Andrea Manfredi (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 16:03 |
95 Emerson Oronte (USA) Team SmartStop | 16:16 |
96 Simone Andreetta (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 16:31 |
97 Sebastián Molano (Col) Colombia | 19:23 |
98 Zach Bell (Can) Team SmartStop | 21:55 |
99 Graeme Brown (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 22:31 |
DNF Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN - Qhubeka | |
DNF Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
DNF Pierrick Naud (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
DNF Walter Gaston Trillini (Arg) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home | |
DNF Carson Miller (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home | |
DNS Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop | |
Final GC | |
1 Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Team Cannondale-Garmin | 28:06:48 |
2 Michael Woods (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | at 0:50 |
3 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team | 1:05 |
4 Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | 1:07 |
5 Christopher Horner (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | 1:09 |
6 Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 1:12 |
7 Natnael Berhane (Eri) MTN - Qhubeka | 1:22 |
8 Daniel Martínez (Col) Colombia | 1:41 |
9 Robbie Squire (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 1:46 |
10 Lachlan Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 1:50 |
11 Walter Pedraza (Col) Colombia | 3:10 |
12 Jorge Castiblanco (Col) Colombia | 4:03 |
13 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Axeon Cycling Team | 4:25 |
14 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 4:29 |
15 Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 4:58 |
16 Dion Smith (NZl) Hincapie Racing Team | 6:10 |
17 Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team | 6:15 |
18 Brendan Canty (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts | 6:22 |
19 Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team SmartStop | 6:31 |
20 Chris Butler (USA) Team SmartStop | 6:55 |
21 Robin Carpenter (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 7:16 |
22 Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team | 9:35 |
23 Rob Britton (Can) Team SmartStop | 9:54 |
24 Cayetano Sarmiento (Col) Colombia | 10:54 |
25 Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 13:22 |
26 Kilian Frankiny (Irl) BMC Racing Team | 14:42 |
27 Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Team Cannondale-Garmin | 16:21 |
28 Gavin Mannion (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 16:49 |
29 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 17:06 |
30 Nicolae Tanovitchii (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 21:27 |
31 James Oram (NZl) Axeon Cycling Team | 22:02 |
32 Julian Bernard (Fra) Trek Factory Racing | 23:19 |
33 Benjamin King (USA) Team Cannondale-Garmin | 23:32 |
34 Alexandr Braico (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 24:25 |
35 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team | 24:32 |
36 Luca Chirico (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 24:33 |
37 Alex Howes (USA) Team Cannondale-Garmin | 25:16 |
38 Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 25:26 |
39 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 26:38 |
40 Timothy Roe (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 26:50 |
41 Connor McCutcheon (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | 27:26 |
42 John Hornbeck (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 27:57 |
43 Carlos Mario Ramirez (Col) Colombia | 28:17 |
44 Leonardo Basso (Ita) Trek Factory Racing | 28:23 |
45 Daniel Eaton (USA) Axeon Cycling Team | 28:47 |
46 Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts | 30:50 |
47 Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 33:45 |
48 Gregory Brenes Obando (CRc) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home | 35:30 |
49 Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 36:10 |
50 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Cycling Team | 38:17 |
51 Luis Lemus (Mex) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | 38:39 |
52 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 39:13 |
53 Edwin Avila (Col) Colombia | 39:45 |
54 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 40:57 |
55 Griffin Easter (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | 41:05 |
56 Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 41:13 |
57 Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 41:15 |
58 Manuel Francesco Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 43:08 |
59 Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN - Qhubeka | 44:08 |
60 Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Cycling Team | 44:35 |
61 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 45:54 |
62 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team | 46:06 |
63 Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 48:16 |
64 Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home | 49:38 |
65 Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 50:24 |
66 Songezo Jim (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 51:09 |
67 Calvin Watson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing | 51:31 |
68 Jasper Bovenhuis (Ned) Team Cannondale-Garmin | 52:24 |
69 Joseph Schmalz (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 53:14 |
70 Cullen Easter (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | 53:22 |
71 Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 56:27 |
72 Edward King (USA) Team Cannondale-Garmin | 57:05 |
73 Jack Anderson (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts | 57:15 |
74 Sebastián Molano (Col) Colombia | 59:03 |
75 Steve Fisher (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 59:09 |
76 Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 59:33 |
77 Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 1:00:11 |
78 Emerson Oronte (USA) Team SmartStop | 1:00:21 |
79 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 1:01:34 |
80 Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team | 1:03:26 |
81 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 1:03:49 |
82 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 1:04:09 |
83 Erik Slack (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 1:05:09 |
84 David Williams (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home | 1:06:52 |
85 Mackenzie Brennan (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 1:08:09 |
86 Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 1:09:22 |
87 Samuel Spokes (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 1:09:44 |
88 Fabio Silvestre (Por) Trek Factory Racing | 1:10:03 |
89 Justin Mauch (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | 1:10:14 |
90 Brodie Talbot (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts | 1:11:09 |
91 Michael Torckler (NZl) Team Budget Forklifts | 1:11:39 |
92 Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 1:13:02 |
93 Josh Berry (NZl) Team Budget Forklifts | 1:14:00 |
94 Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Racing Team | 1:18:26 |
95 Simone Andreetta (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 1:21:27 |
96 Andrea Manfredi (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 1:28:20 |
97 Zach Bell (Can) Team SmartStop | 1:31:25 |
98 Kevin Gottlieb (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team | 1:38:33 |
99 Graeme Brown (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 1:52:21 |