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Organizers of the Tour of Utah today announced "The Ultimate Challenge," a non-competitive ride for cycling enthusiasts to be held Saturday, August 14, 2010. The Tour of Utah will co-host the Challenge along with Dave Zabriskie, Utah native and the third American ever to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France.
Described as "America's toughest one-day cycling adventure," The Ultimate Challenge is a 96-mile ride for amateur cyclists covering nearly 11,000 feet of climbing. The Challenge course, starting in Park City and finishing at the Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, is the same route that will lay waste to the world's top professional bike racers a week later during the Tour of Utah.
"We're giving all cyclists the chance to ride a portion of one of the toughest professional race courses in the United States with one of the country's most accomplished cyclists," said Steve Miller, president of the Tour of Utah. "Whether the participants are working towards their best time or just excited to finish, we hope that The Ultimate Challenge and Dave's lead off will make them feel like pros for a day."
Starting at Park City High School at 6 am, Challenge riders will head east around the town of Kamas and the Jordanelle Reservoir to a relatively modest climb that continues to flat and rolling terrain into the Swiss-inspired village of Midway.
Riders will ride past Sundance Resort on the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway taking on an 8.7-mile climb with nearly 3,000 feet of elevation gain. After participants make it to the top, they will face one of the most challenging descents in the country down American Fork Canyon (Hwy. 92) through Uinta National Forest. From there, riders head north through Alpine and Draper over rolling terrain and an intermediate climb up over Suncrest Drive and then into Sandy City for the final leg up Little Cottonwood Canyon, a six-mile, 3,000 vertical feet ascent to Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort.
Dave Zabriskie has committed to the ride to help promote Yield to Life, a non-profit organization he founded to form road safety awareness campaigns and educational programs for cyclists and motorists that promote a safe cycling environment and their mutual respect and understanding.
A variety of high-energy foods and drink will be available at the rest stops at mile 20, 45, 55, 75 and 90. Mechanics will follow in sag vehicles to provide support to any rider in need.
The standard ride package entry fee is $180 and includes ride support, rest stops, post-ride dinner at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, souvenir riding socks and souvenir T-shirt. An additional ride package including a commemorative jersey costs $225.
Registration opens today at on Tour of Utah's Website and will be capped at 500 riders.
About The Ultimate Challenge presented by the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
The Ultimate Challenge, presented by the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah (tourofutah.com), is a grueling, one-day, non-competitive ride that follows the very same Park City-to-Snowbird road course the world's top professional bike racers will face one week later. The ride on Saturday, August 14, 2010 will include 10,880 feet of climbing over four major climbs along 96-miles of stunning Utah scenery and twisting descents, giving cycling enthusiasts the chance to feel like a pro for a day.
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