Brajkovic third on stage and in overall standings
Levi Leipheimer (Radioshack) won the 2011 Tour of Utah after covering an onslaught of attacks made by Sergio Henao (Gobernacion de Antioquia-Indeportes Antioquia) on the slopes of the Snowbird climb. Leipheimer didn’t provide a challenge for the stage victory, and the American pumped his fist as he crossed the line, allowing Henao to win his second stage. The young Columbian, who will ride for Sky Procycling next season, also won the prologue.
Henao turned in a brutal series of accelerations on the decisive final climb, but Leipheimer never appeared to be in trouble as he calmly countered each one. Tom Danielson (Garmin-Cervelo) and Janez Brajkovic (Radioshack) yo-yoed off the back of the duo before Brajkovic pulled away to take third on the stage and seal his third place overall. Danielson was fourth, and Henao’s teammate Oscar Sevilla was fifth.
“I’m really proud of this,” Leipheimer proclaimed after the stage. “I lived here for a few years and I know the roads so it was very special today, especially coming up the last climb. It was like riding in the Tour de France. The fans were awesome.”
The queen stage of the Tour of Utah spanned 162 kilometers from Park City to Snowbird Ski Resort. There were three climbs on order that offered points, culminating with the summit finish at Snowbird. Two sprint points featured before the first climb, and the placement of these would factor heavily into the first hour of racing.
A hectic start made more so by PureBlack Racing
The two sprint points would settle the competition for the sprinter’s jersey. Heading into the stage, the standings were led by Javier Acevedo (Gobernacion) with 21 points. Sitting just behind were Roman Van Uden (PureBlack Racing) and Jack Bauer (Endura Racing) with 16 and 15 points respectively.
The peloton covered nearly 50 kilometers in the first hour of racing, and while a number of riders tried to accelerate off the front, no breakway was established. Van Uden was first across the intermediate sprint, tying him with Acevedo. PureBlack and Bissell Pro Cycling continued to push a difficult pace at the front, not allowing any moves to stick. Marcel Wyss (Geox-TMC) and Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis) enjoyed a bit of success, briefly taking out 20 seconds, before being hauled back in.
For the second time, PureBlack massed at the front leading into the second sprint point at 69 kilometers, and Van Uden took it uncontested to lock up the sprinter’s jersey. Halfway through the stage as PureBlack drifted contently to the back of the bunch, the average speed was still nearly 50 kilometers per hour.
Gobernacion starts throwing punches
All were together as the peloton blazed toward the base of the day’s first climb, to the actor Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort. Oscar Sevilla (Gobernacion) made the first move and was quickly covered by Danielson, and the two moved away. Sevilla did most of the work in the break as Radioshack used three riders to control behind, and the pace was high enough to shed Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Highroad). Sevilla and Danielson built a maximum lead of 45 seconds before being joined by Leipheimer, Brajkovic, Henao and Acevedo.
“The Colombian team threw everything at us today,” Leipheimer explained. “At one moment it was just Janez and I against four of them and Janez was pulling the entire way. Then some of my other teammates came back and showed their true fighting spirit. They got me to the bottom of the climb and then it was all up to me. Fortunately I felt great today.”
Five kilometers from the top, Acevedo went solo, gained 30 seconds, and hit the summit first. On the descent, he sat up to wait for the Leipheimer group, which swelled to 15 by the time they hit the valley floor.
Best Utah rider Jeff Louder (BMC Racing Team), Tim Duggan (Liquigas-Cannondale), and Lucas Euser (Team Spidertech-C10) were among a host of riders who rejoined the lead group, but it was Giampaolo Cheula (Geox-TMC) who was able to attack the bunch. He gained 55 seconds and took maximum points on the second climb before being joined by Acevedo, who had accelerated again.
Little Cottonwood Canyon – “Utah’s Alpe d’Huez”
Radioshack and Gobernacion were set for a proper showdown as the peloton approached Little Cottonwood Canyon and the Snowbird climb. With just under 15 kilometers to go, Cheula and Acevedo were back in the dwindling bunch when Gobernacion fired another shot. Oscar Alvarez pushed away, but his thoughts of winning were short lived. With 9 kilometers to race, Henao stamped on the gas for the first time. Leipheimer was quickly in his wheel as the two sped away.
“We had to beat [Gobernacion] in their own territories: altitude, uphill and heat,” Radioshack director Alain Gallopin said.
“Philip Deignan and Ben King did a tremendous job today and our young stagaires surprised us here every day. This result is a result of the work of the whole team. In the end it was up to Levi to stay in the wheels of Sergio Henao. He succeeded.”
Danielson rode within himself, and as the pace of the two protagonists ahead began to slow, the confident American pulled himself, Brajkovic and Sevilla back to the front. Danielson briefly put in his own move before Henao unleashed another searing attack. Leipheimer again held his wheel, and several kilometers later, Henao’s shoulders began to rock as the Columbian started to tire.
Down the road, Brajkovic eventually moved away from Danielson as Leipheimer and Henao rode to the finish together. Henao zipped up his jersey and prepared for a sprint, but Leipheimer wasn’t interested in taking the stage win from the young rider. Henao celebrated his second win of the week and Leipheimer celebrated his second overall victory in as many years.
They may be two completely different riders on opposite ends of their careers. But at the end of “America’s Toughest Stage Race,” both had cause for joy.