Tom Danielson (Garmin) used the last possible option in the Tour of Utah to take over the overall lead as the American attacked on the last climb of the 6-day race, the Emerson Pass. Overnight leader Chris Horner (Radioshack) was unable to match his speed and so dropped to second on GC while early escapee Francisco Mancebo (5-Hour) got back to Danielson on the descent to take a magnificent stage win.

When Chris Horner took the Tour of Utah yellow jersey by virtue of a count back in yesterday's queen stage, the veteran American appeared to have the overall win locked up. Second-placed Tom Danielson had other plans though and the Garmin rider used the final climb of the race to unseat the race leader.

The top of the Empire Pass was located just 8,7km from the finish of the 6-day race and Danielson saw it as the perfect opportunity to put Horner under pressure. Having used teammate Peter Stetina to whittle down the yellow jersey group to just 4 riders, he attacked on the lower slopes to distance his main rival.

He overtook the 15 early escapees and started the descent as the sole leader but Francisco Mancebo, one of those early attackers, refused to give up. The veteran Spaniard got back on the descent and it appeared as though Mancebo would be allowed to take the stage while Danielson would take the overall.

However, they got a late scare when Janier Acevedo (Jamis) made a fabulous descent to make it up to the leaders just as they passed the flamme rouge. Mancebo was quick to react and moved into the wheel of the fast-moving Colombian, coming around his rivals in the final sprint. Acevedo was awarded for his efforts with an overall 3rd place finish behind Danielson and Horner.

With today's win Danielson breaks a long drought as he hasn't come out triumphant since his time tria victory in the 2009 Vuelta a Burgos. The American has now also marked himself out as one of the big favourites for the US Pro Challenge which starts on August 19.

A big group goes clear

The Tour of Utah came to its conclusion with a short 125,9km around Park City. With the HC climb of Empire Pass located less than 10km from the finish, nothing was decided until the very end of the race.

Surprisingly, there were no immediate attacks and the Radioshack team of race leader Horner was allowed to set a steady tempo in the first part of the race. Finally, the harmony was broken when a Cannondale rider launched an attack and from numerous riders followed the move.

A big group got clear and for a moment it seemed to have been given the go. However, the peloton gradually edged closer which allowed some riders to bridge across while others fell behind before an 12-rider group was finally allowed to move clear.

Matthews makes a wily move

That group consisted of Mancebo, Baden Cooke (Orica-GreenEdge), Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthCare), Luis Romero, Tyler Wren (both Jamis), Tanner Putt, Jasper Stuyven (both Bontrager), Ted King (Cannondale), Jakub Novak (BMC), Martin Wesemann (MTN) Alexander Hagman (Jelly Belly) and Jason McCartney (Bissell). However, Hincapie Sports had missed the move and so the young team moved its riders to the front to bring the gap down.

When they were close enough, the team launched four of its riders off the front as Ty Magner, Oscar Clark, Joseph Lewis and Joey Rosskopf attacked. Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) made a wily move to join those four teammates and together with Rosskopf and Lewis, he made it across.

BMC reacts

Matthews had started the stage second in the points competition and with two intermediate sprints coming up, leader Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) couldn't accept the move. The Belgian himself and his teammates Michael Schär and Larry Warbasse all rotated on the front as they tried to bring it back together but they didn't make it in time for the first intermediate sprint.

Novak tried to challenge Matthews in the sprint but had no chance and so Matthews became the virtual points leader. With that jersey now lost, BMC decided to stop their effort and instead it was left to Radioshack's Jens Voigt, Hayden Roulsten and Nelson Oliveira to keep the gap stable at around 3 minutes for most of the stage.

Mancebo goes off on his own

On the day's first climb at the midpoint of the stage, Mancebo and McCartney attacked but the latter quickly fell back to the big chase group. Mancebo continued on his own all the way to the top of the climb but decided to fall back to his companions on the descent.

Matthews crossed the line first in the day's second intermediate sprint to further solidify his points lead and soon after they started to climb the Empire Pass. Mancebo attacked from the bottom and only Novak, King, Wren and Matthews could respond.

Cooke works hard for Matthews

Cooke clawed his way back to the leaders before launching his own move and this time only Mancebo and his teammate Matthews could join him. Those three riders continued together for some time until Cooke had spent all his energy and fell back.

Behind, Garmin had upped the pace on the run-in to the final climb with Christian Vande Velde setting a solid pace. As soon as the road started to point upwards, it was teammate Peter Stetina who took over and the young American blew the peloton to pieces.

The yellow jersey group is whittled down

Very early on the climb, the main group only consisted of Stetina, Danielson, Lachlan Morton (Garmin), Horner, Matthew Busche, George Bennett (both Radioshack) and Lucas Euser (UnitedHealthCare). Morton was the next to crack and Bennett and Euser also both fell off the pace, leaving just 4 riders in the yellow jersey group.

When Stetina blew up, Danielson launched his own attack and Horner had no response. Instead, the race leader asked teammate Busche to pace him towards the top.

Mancebo the lone leader

Impressively, Matthews had now dropped Mancebo while Danielson flew past the remnants of the early break. However, the Australian sprinter started to fade and so Mancebo got back before leaving the double stage winner behind.

Danielson made it up to Mancebo and a few kilometres from the top, he launched an acceleration that was too much for Mancebo. Hence, Danielson crested the summit in first position while Mancebo followed 15 seconds later.

A chase group is formed

Behind, Busche, Horner, Philip Deignan (UnitedHealthCare) and Carter Jones (Bissell) had joined forces. Jones tried to attack twice but didn't have the power to make any lasting difference. A little later, Euser also got back on. Impressively, Acevedo came fast from behind and overtook the Horner group to crest the summit in third position.

Michael Schär (BMC) joined that group on the descent while Mancebo made it back to Danielson as they headed down towards the finish in Park City. Just as those two leaders appeared to be destined to decide the win between them, Acevedo flew past them and only Mancebo was quick enough to get into the Colombian's wheel.

Mancebo had enough left in the tank to win the two-man sprint while Danielson crossed the line 4 seconds later with his arms in the air, having taken the overall win. Busche led the Horner group across the line 1.24 later and that was enough for the veteran to take second on GC ahead of Acevedo.

Result:

1. Francisco Mancebo 3.12.51

2. Janier Acevedo

3. Tom Danielson +0.04

4. Lucas Euser +1.28

5. Matthew Busche

General classification:

1. Tom Danielson 23.05.48

2. Chris Horner +1.25

3. Janier Acevedo +1.39

4. Lucas Euser +1.57

5. Matthew Busche +2.01

6. Philip Deignan +2.22

7. Michael Schär +3.06

8. Carter Jones +3.45

9. Francisco Mancebo +3.46

10. George Bennett +3.51

More results to come