Bike Tour of Utah expands

A host of professional cyclers will hit Utah streets May 26-30 in a Tour de France-style event. The Tour of Utah is coming back bigger and better with a total purse of $23,970.

A five-day stage race will pit professional competitors against each other for big prizes, while citizens can sign up to challenge themselves on many of the different race courses. The first stage of the race will begin May 26 in Provo as a pro-only criterium.

It's a short-course race that will be the most spectator-friendly of all the events as racers will barrel down Center Street between University Ave. and 500 West at up to 40 miles per hour in a circular course that will take them past bystanders repeatedly. The race will be timed, and every fourth lap will be a preem lap that earns the top finisher a cash prize.

On May 27 the Tour moves to Thanksgiving Point and will find the riders pushing themselves on a 100-mile course that takes them across Tooele.

Because of the length, this part of the race is pro only and should take riders a little over three hours to complete at 30 miles per hour. They will ride as a pack through the hazardous area at the start of the race at Redwood Rd. before being let loose.

May 28 will bring the crowning jewel to the entire Tour of Utah as two stages are set for the day, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Stage 1 begins again at Thanksgiving Point and is known as the West Desert Road Race. The riders will do a required number of loops on streets through Lehi and then begin a demanding climb to the top of Traverse Ridge Rd.

On some parts of the road grades reach 12-13 percent, which is equal to some of the steepest grades in the Tour de France.

"You can walk almost as fast as the bikers pedal," said Tour organizer Roger Preston. "After the racers recover (at the top of the mountain), they will continue on the road past Micron and back to Thanksgiving Point on their own."

Organizers expect 100-150 pros, mostly from Western states. After the difficult climb, racers and crowd will gather at the Citizen's Festival, which will include a BMX stunt team, music, a bike shop, kids' races and safety clinics at Thanksgiving Point. There will be an official recovery zone at the Barn, where sponsors will provide food, drinks and even massages. It will be open to every competitor that day.

Stage 4 is that afternoon about 1 and is open to pros and amateurs, who will begin at predetermined times with groups of racers at similar levels.