Levi Leipheimer to Race in Tour of Utah
SALT LAKE CITY – August 4, 2010 – The 2010 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah presented by Zions Bank is pleased to announce that Levi Leipheimer will race in the Tour taking place August 17-22. Leipheimer will race solo, not assigned to a team. He recently placed 13th overall in the 2010 Tour de France.
“Not only am I personally excited to have Levi participate to the race, but on behalf of the Tour of Utah, we look forward to welcoming him to our great state,” said President, Steve Miller. “Racers of Levi’s caliber enhance the competition on the course and his participation speaks volumes about the professionalism and reputation of the Tour of Utah. We have captured the attention of the best cyclists in the world and we plan to make sure their experience here is a good one.”
Leipheimer began his cycling career in 1987. His major results include: 1st overall in the 2009 Tour of California (winner of Stage 6 time trial), the 2008 Tour of California (winning the Stage 5 time trial), 2nd overall in the 2008 Vuelta a España (winning two stages), 1st overall in the 2007 Tour of California (winning the Prologue and Stage 5 time trials), 1st overall in the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré, 1st overall in the 2005 Deutschland Tour, 3rd overall in the 2001 Vuelta a España, and four top-ten finishes in the Tour de France general classification, including 3rd overall in 2007. Leipheimer won the 2007 USA road championship, 1:11 seconds ahead of Discovery teammate and defending champion George Hincapie. He also won the bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the road time trial.
In 2009, he founded and led the King Ridge Gran Fondo, a recreational benefit bicycle ride based in Santa Rosa, California. The ride takes place in October of each year with approximately 6,000 participants.
Leipheimer lives in Santa Rosa, California with his wife Odessa Gunn, though during the cycling season he primarily lives in Gerona, Spain.
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is a six-day, professional bicycle road race along the Rocky Mountain’s Wasatch Range through some of Utah’s most beautiful and challenging terrain. Spanning 325 miles and nearly 30,000 feet of climbing, the Tour of Utah will attract 19 professional cycling teams totaling 144 cyclists competing for a cash/prize purse of $45,000.
More than 30,000 spectators are expected to line the racecourse and attend the festivals in Ogden, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake City and Tooele.
For more information about the Tour of Utah, please visit www.tourofutah.com.
About the 2010 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
Deemed “America’s Toughest Stage Race,” the 2010 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah presented by Zions Bank, is a six-day, six-stage, 325-mile professional bicycle road race with nearly 30,000 feet of climbing. The race takes place August 17-22, 2010 along the Rocky Mountain’s Wasatch Range through some of Utah’s most beautiful and challenging terrain. The Tour will attract 19 professional cycling teams totaling 144 cyclists competing for a cash/prize purse of $45,000. The 2010 Tour of Utah will be accompanied by a colorful, rolling festival celebration that will take place at the finish line. More than 30,000 spectators are expected to line the racecourse and attend the festivals in Ogden, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake City and Tooele, and 60,000-plus race fans are expected to follow online.
