France, Italy, Spain … Utah?
Yes, Utah is the latest locale to attempt to join the international bicycle racing circuit.
The Tour of Utah announced May 2 the course for a six-day, 500-mile race that culminates with a grueling series of climbs through the Wasatch Mountains. The stage race begins Aug. 7 with a 105.6-mile ride through Provo and concludes with a stage that covers Little Cottonwood Canyon to the Snowbird Ski Resort, just more than 8,000 feet above sea level. The most grueling stage – No. 6 – winds 114 miles and includes 17,000 feet of vertical climbing, setting it apart from other high-profile cycling races such as the Tour of California and Tour de Georgia and even European events.
The tour, which will have a $45,000 purse, currently has commitments from four U.S. professional cycling teams. About a dozen more teams will be invited to compete in the race, which is in its second year but first as an invitational. Organizers hope bringing in top professional riders and routing the race through cities such as Park City, Provo, Midway and Salt Lake City will get crowds into the festival atmosphere.
“We’re very optimistic that we can build this event over time,” said Jeff Robbins, president of the Utah Sports Commission, which promotes sports competitions for the state.
OUTDOOR EDUCATION
Programs for women get boost
The nonprofit Women’s Wilderness Institute has 30 scholarship spaces available this summer thanks to a surge in funding. Six spaces are open in the organization’s 12-day Leadership Course (June 23-July 4), which uses the challenge of outdoor activities such as backpacking and rock climbing in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area to foster leadership skills in teens ages 15 to 17. The institute also has 24 scholarship spaces in its Wilderness Program, designed for girls 12-17. The Wilderness Program offers several backpacking expeditions and rock climbing clinics to low- to middle-income families. For more information, call the institute at 303-938-9191 or visit www.womenswilderness.org.
ADVENTURE SPORTS
Metzger jumps famous fountains
X Games gold medalist Mike “The Godfather” Metzger joined motorcycle legends Evel Knievel, Gary Wells and Robbie Knievel last week when he jumped the fountains at Caesars Palace. The historic 125-foot jump, televised by ESPN, also landed the 30-year-old from Menifee, Calif., in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first rider to successfully perform a backflip over the famed fountains.
An estimated crowd of 15,500 converged at Caesars Palace to witness the event. Metzger, a five-time X Games medalist (three gold), is credited as an innovator of the motorcycle backflip.
SKIING
U.S. Ski Team shuffles coaches
The retirement of U.S. Ski Team speed coach John “Johno” McBride and fellow World Cup coach Pete Bosinger has opened the door for Chris Brigham and former Crested Butte Academy ski coach Rewk Patton to step into the big leagues. Brigham, a U.S. alpine coach since the mid-1990s, was promoted this week to men’s downhill and super-G head coach, and second-year U.S. coach Patton moved up from Europa Cup status to the World Cup tour.
– Compiled by Scott Willoughby from Post and wire services
