American Reijnen Redeemed with Stage 5 Win at 2016 Tour of Utah
Overall Lead Retained by Morton on Eve of Queen Stage Battle
By Lyne Lamoureux
August 5, 2016 – Bountiful, Utah – American Kiel Reijnen of Trek-Segafredo climbed on the top step of the podium on Stage 5 presented by Zions Bank at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. Reijnen accelerated away from a select group of riders to claim a second stage victory in Utah in two years, in a time of four hours and 22 seconds. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Great Britain) was second and American Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling) was third, both with the same time as Reijnen.
Overall race leader Lachlan Morton (Australia) of Jelly Belly presented by MAXXIS finished 26th on the 115.6-mile stage and retained the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Overall Race Leader jersey. Fourth in Stage 5, Andrew Talansky (USA) of Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling moved up to second place overall, nine seconds down. American Adrien Costa of Axeon Hagens Berman dropped to third place and retained the Subaru Best Young Rider jersey.
“Today was definitely a more emotional win for me,” said Reijnen, who finished second on Stage 4 presented by UnitedHealthcare. He was in contention near the end of Stage 1 presented by Workers Compensation Fund, but suffered a late mechanical that took him out of the sprint finish. “I didn’t really believe in myself for the first 150k (kilometers) today, but the team did. Once we hit the circuits and got to the first climb, I felt my legs. I felt I had a good chance of winning if the break came back. Big thanks to my team for believing in me.”
“Last year we were defending the jersey so it was a very different stage for us,” continued Reijnen who finished seventh on this stage last year. “It was a hard stage today so hats off to Jelly Belly for the work they did, which is not an easy thing to do. Lachlan kept his lead so good on them. Our plan today was to save our team energy by putting a rider in the break. Julian did a brilliant job and the break looked really strong. If the break stayed away we were betting on Julian for the stage win. It then came together.”
“It’s been really cool being on a bigger team having the support of riders,” he said about his move to WorldTour team Trek-Segafredo. “Even if I am playing a similar role, it is with a bigger team. I am very happy that the team has given me that chance. I spent a lot of time in Europe this year getting my head bashed in this year. Hopefully I get off to a good second half this year and so far so good.”
Photo Gallery by Cathy Fegan-Kim, Cottonsoxphotography.com, click to start lightbox:
“I got kind of beat up in Europe. I went where I always get good. I went to a cabin in the mountains of Colorado and trained on the dirt roads by myself. It seems to work. I trained in altitude which makes a difference here. I have been working on steady climbing to get over the mountain to be able to sprint. I think one of the biggest difference from last year Tour of Utah is I feel less drained from my efforts. I am hoping that pays off as well too. I won’t be lying if I did not say I am going to the Vuelta with some ambition. I like going to races with goals and not just to survive.”
Stage 5 video highlights:
Stage 5 presented by Zions Bank started at Antelope Island State Park, which sits on the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. A break of 11 riders escaped early in the stage, as the riders looped around part of the island before crossing the seven-mile causeway to the mainland. Working well together, the escapees extended their lead to a maximum of five minutes. Challenges included two Utah Sports Commission Sprint lines in Hooper and Eden, two Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain climbs at North Ogden Divide and Trappers Loop.
Reijnen, Geoghegan Hart and Howes were part of a select group of 30 riders that chased down the last remaining riders of the break on the nine-mile circuits in Bountiful. Attacks flew as the riders sped around the technical loop which was lined with 4,000 American flags, distributed by the Boy Scouts of America. Ultimately, Reijnen was able to overtake a sprinting Geoghegan Hart in the final meters for the victory.
“I remember last year seeing the video of this stage,” Reijnen said of the finishing loop. “Someone missed the right hand turn and went straight into the curb. I knew this was super technical circuit. I warned the guys how technical it would be. It gives you a breather if you know the circuit. You know that if you make it over the climb you can catch a breather. I did not want to take any risks and went straight to the front on the descent to make sure I wasn’t behind anyone. It does make it exciting for the fans. I have always been a fan of really technical racing, especially if it’s on a circuit. If you haven’t seen the road before it can be a bit dangerous. Since you are on a circuit everyone sees it once. We can really race to the best of our abilities.”
This is the third runner-up finish for the Axeon Hagens Berman squad this week in Utah. “Last year Logan (Owen) won here. I think he was putting a bit of pressure on himself this year. He was looking for good results. I had a puncture in the last 3K,” Geoghegan Hart said. “I wanted to give him a lead out because we knew it could be a messy finish. In the end he went in the break. Trek and a lot of the bigger teams charged around. Our team has been very attentive. We have been in the breaks we needed to be in. We covered moves. Unfortunately it did not go our way today.”
For the Utah riders in the race, Taylor “T.J.” Eisenhart of the BMC Racing Team remained seventh overall on General Classification and Robbie Squire of Holowesko | Citadel Racing Team presented by Hincapie Sportswear jumped two spots to 13th. Tanner Putt of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team is 83rd on G.C.
Julien Bernard (France) of Trek-Segafredo attacked the break on the first of two ascents of the Bountiful Bench above the finish line city. His efforts were awarded later with the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Most Aggressive Rider jersey.
“It was a good day for a breakaway. We had a big gap but was losing time. Tried to attack on the climb. It was not good for me but it was a good day for the team,” Bernard said.
Stage 5 winner Reijnen took over the Utah Sports Commission Sprint jersey. Daniel Jaramillo Diez (Colombia) of UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team moved into the Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain jersey. Defending champion Joe Dombrowski (USA) of Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling was voted America First Credit Union Fan Favorite in the Tour of Utah Legends category.
The “Queen Stage” of the Tour of Utah returns for Stage 6 presented by University of Utah Health Care. This epic journey starts at Snowbasin Resort, northeast of Ogden in Weber County. After covering 114 miles (183.4 km) and 11,165 feet of climbing, the race will finish at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort for a record ninth consecutive year. From the Snowbasin Resort, the course rolls through scenic ranch land in the Morgan Valley and through Brown’s Canyon, with Utah Sports Commission Sprint lines in Wanship and Park City. The showdown for the true climbers will begin with an 11-percent gradient, Category 1 climb across Guardsman Pass, high above Park City. This is followed by a 14-mile descent through Big Cottonwood Canyon. The race concludes with the legendary six-mile Hors Category climb of Little Cottonwood Canyon, passing throngs of fans along Tanners Flat for the finish at Snowbird Resort.
Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah Award Jerseys
Larry H. Miller Group of Companies Overall Leader jersey – Lachlan Morton (AUS), Jelly Belly presented by MAXXIS
Utah Sports Commission Sprint jersey – Kiel Reijnen (USA), Trek-Segafredo
Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain jersey – Daniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez (COL), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
Subaru Best Young Rider jersey – Adrien Costa (USA), Axeon Hagens Berman
Larry H. Miller Dealerships Most Aggressive Rider jersey – Julien Bernard (FRA), Trek-Segafredo
America First Credit Union Fan Favorite jersey – Joe Dombrowski (USA), Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling
Results and Standings
Stage 5 presented by Zions Bank – Top 10
1.REIJNEN Kiel (USA), TREK-SEGAFREDO – 4.22’38”
2.GEOGHEGAN HART Tao (GBR), AXEON HAGENS BERMAN – 4.22’38”
3.HOWES Alex (USA), CANNONDALE-DRAPAC PRO CYCLING – 4.22’38”
4.TALANSKY Andrew (USA), CANNONDALE-DRAPAC PRO CYCLING – 4.22’38”
5.JARAMILLO DIEZ Daniel Alexander (COL), UNITEDHEALTHCARE PRO CYCLING TEAM – 4.22’38”
6.ROSSKOPF Joseph (USA), BMC RACING TEAM – 4.22’38”
7.TEUNS Dylan (BEL), BMC RACING TEAM – 4.22’38”
8.MEGIAS LEAL Javier (ESP), TEAM NOVO NORDISK – 4.22’38”
9.BRITTON Rob (CAN), RALLY CYCLING – 4.22’38”
- CUNEGO Damiano (ITA), NIPPO-VINI FANTINI – 4.22’38”
General Classification (After Stage 5) – Top 10
1.MORTON Lachlan (AUS), JELLY BELLY PRESENTED BY MAXXIS – 19.17’18”
2.TALANSKY Andrew (USA), CANNONDALE-DRAPAC PRO CYCLING – 19.17’27”
3.COSTA Adrien (USA), AXEON HAGENS BERMAN – 19.17’52”
4.ROSSKOPF Joseph (USA), BMC RACING TEAM -19.18’50”
5.ATAPUMA HURTADO Darwin (COL), BMC RACING TEAM – 19.18’50”
6.BRITTON Rob (CAN), RALLY PRO CYCLING -19.18’50”
7.EISENHART Taylor (USA), BMC RACING TEAM – 19.18’52”
8.CARPENTER Robin (USA), HOLOWESKO/CITADEL P/B HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR -19.19’29”
9.REIJNEN Kiel (USA), TREK-SEGAFREDO -19.21’09”
10.GEOGHEGAN HART Tao (GBR), AXEON HAGENS BERMAN – 12.21’19”
