2018 Tour of Utah Stage 1: McCabe Conquers Cedar City Sprint with Third Career Win; Report, Results, Photos

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American Tejay van Garderen Retains Leader’s Jersey After First Day of Climbing

2018 Tour of Utah Stage 1 Complete Photo Essay by Cottonsox Click here

By Lyne Lamoureux – Travis McCabe of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team surged past the field in a chaotic sprint finish to win Stage 1 presented by America First Credit Union at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah on Tuesday.

The riders were definitely not able to take in the beauty of the canyon on teh climb. 2018 Tour of Utah Stage 1, August 7, 2018, Cedar City, Utah. Photo by Cathy Fegan-Kim, cottonsoxphotography.net

Coming into this, I trained really hard. I’ve had a few months now of just being home and training. Utah was a big goal,” said McCabe, who lives and trains in nearby Arizona. He took advantage of a late race attack by his teammate Serghei Tvetcov to claim his third stage win in three years at the Tour of Utah.

Taking that third win was what I was waking up every morning, dreaming about. Every year it’s always come later on the race and so to get it the second day is pretty incredible. I tried really hard to get a really good time trial yesterday with hopes of taking over the jersey but I got second behind Tejay and I probably won’t get it tomorrow. Getting three wins in three years is pretty awesome. I love the Tour of Utah, I really do, it’s one of my favorite races I do every year. I’m an Arizona boy, we’re neighbors. I feel that this is the closest thing that I have to a home race and when I come here I always look to be on form and be my best.”

A bike length separated McCabe from second-place Ulises Castillo of Jelly Belly Cycling Team p/b Maxxis, and Edwin Avila of Israel Cycling Academy following in third.

Overall race leader Tejay van Garderen of BMC Racing Team retained his Larry H. Miller Dealerships leader’s yellow jersey by finishing safely in the peloton. By capturing the 10-second finish time bonus, McCabe moved up to second in the General Classification (G.C.), only two seconds back. Joey Rosskopf of BMC Racing Team is in third place overall, a further two seconds down. Fourth in the G.C., Neilson Powless of Team LottoNL-Jumbo retained the WCF Insurance Best Young Rider jersey.

Blue skies and warm weather greeted the 115 racers at the start of Stage 1 presented by America First Credit Union in the fourth-time host city of Cedar City. The start and the finish were held on the campus of Southern Utah University. After a flurry of attacks in the first 40 minutes of racing, four riders managed to escape to form the main breakaway of the day. Evan Huffman of Rally Cycling, George Simpson of Elevate KHS, Daan Olivier of Team Lotto NL-Jumbo and Lionel Mawditt of Jelly Belly pb Maxxis worked well together to increase their lead.

The podium: Travis Mccabe (UHC) 1st, Castillo Soto (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis) 2nd, Avila Vanegas (Istrael Cycling Academy). 2018 Tour of Utah Stage 1, August 7, 2018, Cedar City, Utah. Photo by Cathy Fegan-Kim, cottonsoxphotography.net
The podium: Travis Mccabe (UHC) 1st, Castillo Soto (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis) 2nd, Avila Vanegas (Istrael Cycling Academy). 2018 Tour of Utah Stage 1, August 7, 2018, Cedar City, Utah. Photo by Cathy Fegan-Kim, cottonsoxphotography.net

Everything was going to plan for the BMC Racing Team. “Our plan was to let a breakaway get up the road to stop the attacks.” van Garderen explained. “We found a breakaway that we were comfortable with, let them get a little time, establish a chase and we were banking on a couple sprinter’s teams to help close the gap in the final so that we didn’t have to do all the work today. We were able to keep things relatively under control, it was a hard fought day.”

The four escapees built a lead that grew to over five minutes before starting to climb up Parowan Canyon for the highest climb of the week near Cedar Breaks National Monument, topping out at 10,600 feet.

It was the first time I raced at this altitude which makes it pretty hard, but I think it was a really nice climb. The steep gradients I like, so I enjoyed it,” said Olivier about the Category 1 climb, which gains 4,500 vertical feet in 15 miles, with some sections at Brian Head Ski Resort challenging riders with a 15 percent gradient.

Huffman, then Simpson had trouble following the pace on the steeper pitches as they approached the top of the climb. “We had four riders, working pretty well together. Splitting up on the climb a little bit, it was kind of the limit for me, I’m not so good at the really steep stuff so I suffered through it. Luckily they sat up at the top for the long descent for the next climb,” said Huffman who was awarded the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Most Aggressive Rider jersey

After re-forming on the descent, the break shattered on the next KOM at Bristlecone. Under pressure from the chasing peloton, Olivier continued solo and claimed the Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain jersey.

With 20 miles to go, the gap to the lone rider was down to under two minutes with teams chasing to bring about a bunch sprint. One team that did not participate in the chase was UnitedHealthcare.

I really had to just make it up over the big climb. It was a pretty fast pace, we lost a few of the bigger sprinters like Ty Magner on that climb because of the tailwind. Pace was pretty hard, we were on the pedals the whole day. We were expecting that. We didn’t really contribute too much to the chase because we could tell that guys on the breakaway were starting to come off, a little early on, like 90 K in the race. We let it play out,” McCabe explained.

Attacks were launched from the front. Luis Lemus of Israel Cycling Academy took a solo flyer with 20 kilometers to go, caught and passed Olivier as he approached Cedar City. But his move was doomed.

More attacks flew from the field as they raced around the finishing circuits. “In the sprint, there aren’t really any big sprinters team because it’s such heavy climbing race this year so I floated along, waiting for the opportune time for me to sprint, opened it up with 250 meters to go and won,” said McCabe.

McCabe also claimed the Utah Sports Commission Sprint jersey. Nathan Brown of EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale was voted America First Credit Union Fan Favorite, in the category of Best Ambassador (Statesman).

Stage 2 on Wednesday, Aug. 8, returns to Payson City for a third time. The focus of the day will be the towering peak of Mount Nebo, making a seventh appearance in the Tour that was last featured in 2016. This year, the 88.6-mile (142.6 km) route will start and finish in Payson City. After a 12-mile circuit north of town into Utah County, the race will return to Payson for a sprint in front of historic Peteetneet Museum and pass through the start/finish area at Memorial Park. The route will then travel south through the orchards and lavender fields along Old U.S. Highway 91 for a sprint line in Nephi, then the final push on the Category 1 ascent across Mount Nebo. The cyclists will summit the roadway at 9,300 feet for the one KOM on the day, then have a twisting 22-mile descent for the finish back into the classic western town of Payson.

Brief Results:

Stage 1 presented by America First Credit Union – Top 10

  1. MCCABE Travis (USA) UNITEDHEALTHCARE – 4:17:05
  2. CASTILLO SOTO Ulises Alfredo (MEX) JELLY BELLY pb MAXXIS – 4:17:05
  3. AVILA VANEGAS Edwin Alcibiades (COL) ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY – 4:17:05
  4. BOOKWALTER Brent (USA) BMC RACING TEAM – 4:17:05
  5. REIJNEN Kiel (USA) TREK-SEGAFREDO – 4:17:05
  6. CIMA Damiano (ITA) NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-EUROPA OVINI – 4:17:05
  7. MURPHY Kyle (USA) RALLY CYCLING – 4:17:05
  8. PONZI Simone (ITA) NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-EUROPA OVINI – 4:17:05
  9. BOUWMAN Koen (NED) TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO – 4:17:05
  10. RICE Michael (AUS) HAGENS BERMAN AXEON – 4:17:05

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION (After Stage 1) – Top 10

  1. VAN GARDEREN Tejay (USA) BMC RACING TEAM – 4:23:32
  2. MCCABE Travis (USA) UNITEDHEALTHCARE – 4:23:34 +0:00:02
  3. ROSSKOPF Joey (USA) BMC RACING TEAM – 4:23:36 +0:00:04
  4. POWLESS Neilson (USA) TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO – 4:23:39 +0:00:07
  5. HUFFMAN Evan (USA) RALLY CYCLING – 4:23:42 +0:00:10
  6. EENKHOORN Pascal (NED) TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO – 4:23:43 +0:00:11
  7. TVETCOV Serghei (ROU) UNITEDHEALTHCARE – 4:23:43 +0:00:11
  8. BROWN Nathan (USA) EF-DRAPAC pb CANNONDALE – 4:23:43 +0:00:11
  9. BOUWMAN Koen (NED) TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO – 4:23:45 +0:00:13
  10. DOMBROWSKI Joe (USA) EF-DRAPAC pb CANNONDALE – 4:23:45 +0:00:13

AWARD JERSEYS

  • Larry H. Miller Group of Companies Overall leader – Tejay van Garderen (USA), BMC Racing Team
  • Utah Sports Commission Sprint leader – Travis McCabe (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
  • Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain – Daan Olivier (NED), Team LottoNL-Jumbo
  • WCF Insurance Best Young Rider – Neilson Powless (NED), Team LottoNL-Jumbo
  • Larry H. Miller Dealerships Most Aggressive Rider – Evan Huffman (USA), Rally Cycling Team
  • America First Credit Union Fan Favorite – Nathan Brown (USA), EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale

Stage 1 Complete Results:

Organiser: Utah Cycling Partnership
Stage: August 7, 2018
Arrival classification: Stage 1 – Cedar City to Cedar City
Category: Men Elite – 2.HC
Average speed of winner: 24.407 mph
Distance: 104,57m/(3,2932m &#151
Time of winner: 4.17’05”
Commencement: 10:50 A

 

Position No. Rider Team Country Time Gap Bonuses
1 93 MCCABE Travis UNITEDHEALTHCARE USA 4:17:05 0:00:00 10
2 126 CASTILLO SOTO Ulises Alfredo JELLY BELLY pb MAXXIS MEX 4:17:05 0:00:00 6
3 61 AVILA VANEGAS Edwin Alcibiades ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY COL 4:17:05 0:00:00 4
4 23 BOOKWALTER Brent BMC RACING TEAM USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
5 56 REIJNEN Kiel TREK-SEGAFREDO USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
6 72 CIMA Damiano NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-EUROPA OVINI ITA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
7 5 MURPHY Kyle RALLY CYCLING USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
8 75 PONZI Simone NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-EUROPA OVINI ITA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
9 32 BOUWMAN Koen TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO NED 4:17:05 0:00:00  
10 86 * RICE Michael HAGENS BERMAN AXEON AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
11 82 * BENNETT Sean HAGENS BERMAN AXEON USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
12 131 * CHRETIEN Charles-Etienne SILBER PRO CYCLING CAN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
13 92 ACEVEDO CALLE Janier Alexis UNITEDHEALTHCARE COL 4:17:05 0:00:00  
14 11 MEYER Cameron MITCHELTON-SCOTT AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
15 45 DOMBROWSKI Joseph Lloyd EF-DRAPAC pb CANNONDALE USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
16 41 BROWN Nathan EF-DRAPAC pb CANNONDALE USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
17 33 * EENKHOORN Pascal TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO NED 4:17:05 0:00:00  
18 112 FRAYRE MOCTEZUMA Eder ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING MEX 4:17:05 0:00:00  
19 26 ROSSKOPF Joseph BMC RACING TEAM USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
20 134 MASBOURIAN Nicolas SILBER PRO CYCLING CAN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
21 47 WOODS Michael EF-DRAPAC pb CANNONDALE CAN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
22 12 HAIG Jack MITCHELTON-SCOTT AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
23 31 KUSS Sepp TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
24 97 MANNION Gavin UNITEDHEALTHCARE USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
25 142 * HECHT Gage AEVOLO USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
26 62 HERMANS Ben ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY BEL 4:17:05 0:00:00  
27 156 FONT MAS Bernat 303 PROJECT ESP 4:17:05 0:00:00  
28 54 EG Niklas TREK-SEGAFREDO DEN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
29 74 SANTAROMITA Ivan NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-EUROPA OVINI ITA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
30 51 STETINA Peter TREK-SEGAFREDO USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
31 1 BRITTON Robert RALLY CYCLING CAN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
32 141 * VILLALOBOS HERNANDEZ Luis Ricardo AEVOLO MEX 4:17:05 0:00:00  
33 101 EISENHART Taylor (T.J.) HOLOWESKO CITADEL pb ARAPAHOE USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
34 21 VAN GARDEREN Tejay BMC RACING TEAM USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
35 125 BURKE Jack JELLY BELLY pb MAXXIS CAN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
36 43 CARTHY Hugh John EF-DRAPAC pb CANNONDALE GBR 4:17:05 0:00:00  
37 64 PLAZA Ruben ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY ESP 4:17:05 0:00:00  
38 137 * ZUKOWSKY Nickolas SILBER PRO CYCLING CAN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
39 7 ORONTE Emerson RALLY CYCLING USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
40 81 * ANDERSON Edward HAGENS BERMAN AXEON USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
41 34 OLIVIER Daan TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO NED 4:17:05 0:00:00 1
42 95 JARAMILLO DIEZ Daniel Alexander UNITEDHEALTHCARE COL 4:17:05 0:00:00  
43 91 TVETCOV Serghei UNITEDHEALTHCARE ROU 4:17:05 0:00:00  
44 106 SANCHEZ VERGARA Brayan Stiven HOLOWESKO CITADEL pb ARAPAHOE COL 4:17:05 0:00:00  
45 35 * POWLESS Neilson TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
46 42 CANTY Brendan EF-DRAPAC pb CANNONDALE AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
47 143 * HOEHN Alex AEVOLO USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
48 105 COMPANIONI Ruben HOLOWESKO CITADEL pb ARAPAHOE CUB 4:17:05 0:00:00  
49 36 WYNANTS Maarten TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO BEL 4:17:05 0:00:00  
50 154 DE LUNA DAVILA Flavio Alejandro 303 PROJECT MEX 4:17:05 0:00:00  
51 123 SWIRBUL Keegan JELLY BELLY pb MAXXIS USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
52 14 * HAMILTON Lucas MITCHELTON-SCOTT AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
53 161 * LYONS Angus MOBIUS BRIDGELANE AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
54 85 * REVARD Thomas HAGENS BERMAN AXEON USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
55 113 CHEYNE Jordan ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING CAN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
56 136 VANDALE Danick SILBER PRO CYCLING CAN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
57 37 * MAAS Jan TEAM LOTTO NL-JUMBO NED 4:17:05 0:00:00  
58 2 ELLSAY Nigel RALLY CYCLING CAN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
59 153 EASTER Cullen 303 PROJECT USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
60 151 NEWKIRK Isaiah 303 PROJECT USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
61 25 FRANKINY Kilian BMC RACING TEAM SUI 4:17:05 0:00:00  
62 94 HAEDO Lucas Sebastian UNITEDHEALTHCARE ARG 4:17:05 0:00:00  
63 165 * BROWN Connor MOBIUS BRIDGELANE NZL 4:17:05 0:00:00  
64 52 * CONCI Nicola TREK-SEGAFREDO ITA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
65 164 * LIVINGSTONE Peter MOBIUS BRIDGELANE AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
66 96 CLARKE Jonathan UNITEDHEALTHCARE AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
67 167 FINSTERWALD Russell MOBIUS BRIDGELANE USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
68 73 HATSUYAMA Sho NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-EUROPA OVINI JPN 4:17:05 0:00:00  
69 157 BACA Antonio 303 PROJECT MEX 4:17:05 0:00:00  
70 3 HUFFMAN Evan RALLY CYCLING USA 4:17:05 0:00:00 2
71 66 SCHREURS Hamish ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY NZL 4:17:05 0:00:00  
72 83 * BROWN Jonathan HAGENS BERMAN AXEON USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
73 24 * EVANS Alexander BMC RACING TEAM AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
74 71 * CIMA Imerio NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-EUROPA OVINI ITA 4:17:22 0:00:17  
75 44 CLARKE William EF-DRAPAC pb CANNONDALE AUS 4:17:25 0:00:20  
76 57 * RIES Michel TREK-SEGAFREDO LUX 4:17:32 0:00:27  
77 46 HOWES Alex EF-DRAPAC pb CANNONDALE USA 4:18:00 0:00:55  
78 152 EASTER Griffin 303 PROJECT USA 4:18:14 0:01:09  
79 63 LEMUS DAVILA Luis Enrique ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY MEX 4:18:37 0:01:32  
80 115 SIMPSON George ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING USA 4:18:37 0:01:32 3
81 76 MARANGONI Alan NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-EUROPA OVINI ITA 4:18:58 0:01:53  
82 121 SHELDEN Taylor JELLY BELLY pb MAXXIS USA 4:19:07 0:02:02  
83 122 WOLFE Benjamin JELLY BELLY pb MAXXIS USA 4:19:07 0:02:02  
84 16 * CHAVES RUBIO Brayan MITCHELTON-SCOTT COL 4:19:07 0:02:02  
85 114 BASSETTI Samuel ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING USA 4:17:05 0:00:00  
86 15 POWER Robert MITCHELTON-SCOTT AUS 4:17:05 0:00:00  
87 127 MAWDITT Lionel JELLY BELLY pb MAXXIS AUS 4:31:42 0:14:37  
88 84 * PHILIPSEN Jasper HAGENS BERMAN AXEON BEL 4:33:23 0:16:18  
89 65 SAGIV Guy ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY ISR 4:33:23 0:16:18  
90 53 DIDIER Laurent TREK-SEGAFREDO LUX 4:33:23 0:16:18  
91 124 * MCGEOUGH Cormac JELLY BELLY pb MAXXIS IRL 4:33:23 0:16:18  
92 116 MCCULLOCH Brian ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING USA 4:33:23 0:16:18  
93 13 BEWLEY Sam MITCHELTON-SCOTT NZL 4:33:23 0:16:18  
94 103 KRASILNIKAU Andrei HOLOWESKO CITADEL pb ARAPAHOE BLR 4:33:23 0:16:18  
95 144 * ISLAS LOPEZ Fernando AEVOLO MEX 4:33:23 0:16:18  
96 55 RAST Gregory TREK-SEGAFREDO SUI 4:33:23 0:16:18  
97 147 * HAIDET Lance AEVOLO USA 4:33:23 0:16:18  
98 27 OVETT Freddy BMC RACING TEAM AUS 4:33:23 0:16:18  
99 133 JEAN Emile SILBER PRO CYCLING CAN 4:33:23 0:16:18  
100 145 * HERNANDEZ Michael AEVOLO USA 4:33:23 0:16:18  
101 67 WILLIAMS Tyler ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY USA 4:33:23 0:16:18  
102 132 * COTE Pier-Andre SILBER PRO CYCLING CAN 4:33:23 0:16:18  
103 22 BOHLI Tom BMC RACING TEAM SUI 4:33:23 0:16:18  
104 102 LEWIS Joseph HOLOWESKO CITADEL pb ARAPAHOE AUS 4:38:19 0:21:14  
105 87 * ZIJLAARD Maikel HAGENS BERMAN AXEON NED 4:38:19 0:21:14  
106 163 COYLE Jesse MOBIUS BRIDGELANE AUS 4:38:19 0:21:14  
107 135 * ROBERGE Adam SILBER PRO CYCLING CAN 4:38:19 0:21:14  
108 146 * GERVAIS Laurent AEVOLO CAN 4:38:19 0:21:14  
109 6 PATE Danny RALLY CYCLING USA 4:38:19 0:21:14  
110 107 SCHMITT Morgan HOLOWESKO CITADEL pb ARAPAHOE USA 4:38:19 0:21:14  
111 4 MAGNER Tyler RALLY CYCLING USA 4:38:19 0:21:14  
               
  Riders dropping out            
  104 GOMEZ PEÑALOZA Bryan Steve HOLOWESKO CITADEL pb ARAPAHOE COL      
  117 * RODRIGUEZ VICTORIA Jose Alfredo ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING MEX      
  155 RAVELO AVILA Cristhian David 303 PROJECT COL      
  166 CARMAN Ben MOBIUS BRIDGELANE AUS      
               
  The following competitors were signed out from the race:            
No. UCI Code Team Country Reason      
111 10051994206 ELEVATE-KHS PRO CYCLING CAN Not signed in      
162 10046246045 MOBIUS BRIDGELANE AUS Not signed in      
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