Pioneering a new trail for professional cycling across northern Utah, the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah will include five new host venues in 2015. Using a series of announcements on social media platforms today, organizers of the Tour of Utah announced the 10 locations that will host start and finish lines for the 11th edition of the race on Monday, Aug. 3 to Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015. For the first time, the event also will include a two-day competition for women.
 
The overall start for the weeklong competition and rolling festival will begin in Logan, located in the northernmost section of the Wasatch Mountain Range. Tremonton and Bountiful join Logan as first-time host cities for the Tour. Two additional inaugural stops are state parks -- Antelope Island State Park in Davis County and Soldier Hollow, which is part of Wasatch Mountain State Park in the Heber Valley.
 
 

Monday, Aug. 3 – Stage 1: Logan
Tuesday, Aug. 4 – Stage 2: Tremonton to Ogden
Wednesday, Aug. 5 – Stage 3: Antelope Island State Park to Bountiful
Thursday, Aug. 6 – Stage 4: Soldier Hollow/Heber Valley
Friday, Aug. 7 – Stage 5 :Salt Lake City
Saturday, Aug. 8 – Stage 6: Salt Lake City to Snowbird Ski and   Summer Resort
Sunday, Aug. 9 – Stage 7: Park City

 
Returning host venues are Ogden, Park City, Salt Lake City, and Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, which have all provided a start or finish line for the Tour seven or more times. Salt Lake City is hosting two stages during race week for the fourth time.
 
This is the fifth year the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah has been sanctioned by the international governing body of cycling, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), and the first year the Utah race has been elevated to its highest classification on the UCI America Tour. As 2.HC-rated stage race, the Tour of Utah joins the Amgen Tour of California (May 10-17) and USA Pro Challenge (Aug. 17-23) as the only events on the UCI America Tour with this top designation. The top rating by the UCI permits the Tour of Utah to invite more ProTeams for the weeklong competition; teams will be announced in the coming months. 
 
“The Tour of Utah elects to change the race route each year as is traditional in the Grand Tours of Europe,” said Steve Miller, president of Miller Sports Properties, which organizes the Tour of Utah. “We are excited to explore the scenic, open roads of northern Utah with five new host venues as well as return to the favorite locales of our fans along the Wasatch Front. We have a tremendous lineup of host venues for a week of world-class cycling next summer.”
 
Tour of Utah organizers have expanded competitive racing for elite and professional women’s teams to include two full days of racing. Logan and Ogden will host the Tour of Utah Women’s Edition: Criterium Classic. The event, an omnium format, is part of the National Criterium Calendar with USA Cycling and will be held Aug. 3-4. 
 
This year’s host venues allow the Tour of Utah to expand to the most northern sections of the state. This area along the western Rocky Mountains includes some of the most scenic canyons, alpine terrain and waterways. From race stages on the largest island in the Great Salt Lake (Antelope Island in Davis County for Stage 3) to the site of 23 Nordic events at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games (Soldier Hollow in the Heber Valley), the 2015 Tour will offer unique venues for both competitors and spectators. Details regarding each stage route (race mileage, elevation gain, start/finish times) and spectator festivities will be announced in the coming months.  
 
"The Utah Sports Commission has been proud to be involved and see the Tour of Utah become a significant event in Utah, generating economic impact and worldwide exposure for Utah," said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission.
 
In 2014, the Tour of Utah set records with 275,000 spectators and $20 million in economic impact for the state. The seven-day event, known “America’s Toughest Stage RaceTM”, featured 753 miles of racing and 57,863 vertical feet of climbing for 16 of the best men’s professional teams in the U.S. and abroad. American Tom Danielson of Team Garmin-Sharp claimed the overall title for the weeklong Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah for a second year in a row. The inaugural Tour of Utah Women’s Edition presented by PlayHard GiveBack was held on Aug. 6, a 15-lap circuit race at Miller Motorsports Park, and was won by American Coryn Rivera of UnitedHealthcare.