Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah

Race: Tour of Utah, Stage 1

Start/Finish: Logan/Logan, Utah

Distance: 212 kilometers 

Logan, Utah — In Stage 1 of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, Team Novo Nordisk’s Stephen Clancy earned the America First Credit Union’s fan favorite jersey. The general public voted on the jersey, which was based on the rider with the best ideals and professionalism in cycling, community or a charity.

“As a bike rider, we want to win races, but this team has an additional message to inspire, educate and empower everyone affected by diabetes. Today, we could see the strength of the diabetes community. Their support and votes that helped me win this jersey is very special and rewarding,” Clancy said. “I’ve ridden for five years in the same kit and tomorrow I’ll get to change it up for a day. I have a feeling it’ll be a day I’ll remember forever.”

When Clancy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 19, he was told extreme levels of exercise could complicate his diabetes management and make it more difficult to control the condition. Fortunately, he discovered Team Novo Nordisk within 24 hours of being discharged and was motivated to get back on the bike. In the five seasons he has raced for Team Novo Nordisk, Clancy has been a standout as a diabetes ambassador and frequently does public speaking events about his journey.

Monday’s opening stage of the Tour of Utah featured a 212-kilometer route that looped through Logan Canyon. Halfway up the day’s first categorized climb, three riders escaped off the front but many teams missed the move and a chase quickly formed.

The race reshuffled and a new 10-man break earned a gap that extended to 7:45. On the final categorized climb, the breakaway whittled down to five riders. On the long descent to Logan, they attacked one another and only Andrei Krasilnikau (Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear) and Miguel Angel Benito (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) remained off the front. The duo was caught and the race entered the two downtown finishing laps all together. In the bunch sprint, Ty Magner (Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear) took the win by only a centimeter over Christopher Lawless (Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team). Team Novo Nordisk’s Fabio Calabria finished with the bunch sprint.

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, is currently competing in two races: Tour de Pologne and Tour of Utah. Tuesday’s Stage 4 of the Tour de Pologne is a 238-km race from Zawiercie to Zabrze while Stage 2 of the Tour of Utah is a 151-km run from Brigham City to Snowbasin Resort and ends with a summit finish that could have an impact on the overall race classification.

Gallery:

Results: 

• 1^st: Ty Magner (Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear): 4:56:49
• 2^nd: Chrisopher Lawless (Axeon Hagens Berman): same time as Magner
• 3^rd: Travis McCabe (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team): same time as Magner

Team Novo Nordisk Results: 

• Fabio Calabria: 32^nd: same time as Magner
• Umberto Poli: 81^st: 0:32 behind Magner
• Stephen Clancy: 102^nd: 11:15 behind Magner
• Sam Brand: 103^rd: 11:15 behind Magner
• Rik van IJzendoorn: 105^th: 11:15 behind Magner
• Reid McClure: 118^th: 11:15 behind Magner
• Corentin Cherhal: 123^rd: 16:15 behind Magner
• Gerd de Keijzer: 124^th: 16:15 behind Magner

(Photos: ©VeloImages)

Race: Tour of Utah, Stage 2

Start/Finish: Brigham City/Snowbasin Resort, Utah

Distance: 151 kilometers

Snowbasin Resort, Utah — Stage 2 of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah saw Team Novo Nordisk’s Stephen Clancy tackle the 151-kilometer race in the America First Credit Union’s fan favorite jersey. The general public voted Monday on the jersey, which was based on the rider with the best ideals and professionalism in cycling, community or a charity.

Tuesday’s race started in picturesque Brigham City with its stunning mountains serving as a race backdrop. Several teams were determined to keep the race in control, and despite many attempts, a breakaway didn’t escape for nearly 90 minutes on the sweltering day.

The three-man break earned a maximum gap of 5:10 and began to splinter as it reached the bottom slopes of the North Ogden Divide at five kilometers in length and an average gradient of 10 percent.

The race came together on the descent off the climb and several teams organized at the front. They increased the pace across the flats heading to Snowbasin. Many riders couldn’t hold the pace, and as the race reached the final climb, the front group was down to around 20 riders.

The summit finish climb up to Snowbasin had an average gradient of six percent. Attacks flew from Axeon Hagens Berman, Rally Cycling, Caja Rural and United Healthcare. In the final meters, Eder Frayre (Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling) earned a gap but Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team) sprinted past him to take the win at the line.

Fabio Calabria

“It was a long, hot day and took quite awhile for the break to finally roll. Once it did, the field kept them pretty close, which meant everything stayed fast. On the final climbs, the GC guys started to flex their muscles and the race exploded at that point. Any day when the weather is extreme, it makes life harder.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, is currently competing in two races: Tour de Pologne and Tour of Utah. Wednesday’s Stage 5 of the Tour de Pologne is a 130-km race from Olimp Nagawczyna to Rzeszow while Stage 3 of the Tour of Utah is a eight kilometer uphill race against the clock in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Gallery:

Results: 

• 1^st: Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team): 3:38:12
• 2^nd: Sepp Kuss (Rally Cycling): same time as Bookwalter
• 3^rd: James Piccoli (Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling): same time as Bookwalter

Team Novo Nordisk Results: 

• Fabio Calabria: 57^th: 17:39 behind Bookwalter
• Sam Brand: 65^th: 17:39 behind Bookwalter
• Umberto Poli: 72^nd: 17:39 behind Bookwalter
• Rik van IJzendoorn: 75th: 17:39 behind Bookwalter
• Reid McClure: 101^st: 17:39 behind Bookwalter
• Gerd de Keijzer: 110^th: 17:39 behind Bookwalter
• Stephen Clancy: 111nd: 17:39 behind Bookwalter
• Corentin Cherhal: DNF

(Photos: ©VeloImages)

Race: Tour of Utah, Stage 3

Start/Finish: Big Cottonwood Canyon/Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah

Distance: 9 kilometers

Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah — Team Novo Nordisk transferred south from Ogden into scenic Big Cottonwood Canyon for Wednesday’s Stage 3 individual time trial. The riders raced against the clock on an uphill nine-kilometer course on their road bikes; time trial bikes were not allowed.

The challenging course featured a five percent average gradient and began at altitude. Riders climbed 525.8 meters and finished at 2,675 meters above sea level.

Rob Britton (Rally Cycling) laid down the fastest time with 18:30 and took the race lead from his teammate Sepp Kuss.

Gerd De Keijzer:

“Today was another really warm day, so hydration was important. Our coach gave us a good warm-up to get us prepared for the effort and I managed to hit my wattage aim out on course. During an uphill time trial, you need to find a pace that you can manage without crossing the limit because you can’t find anywhere to recover as you can in a flat time trial.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, is currently competing in two races: Tour de Pologne and Tour of Utah. Thursday’s Stage 6 of the Tour de Pologne is an 189-km race from Wieliczka to Zakopane while Stage 4 of the Tour of Utah is considered a flat day starting and finishing in South Jordan City and featuring nearly a dozen short climbs across 203 kilometers.

Gallery:

Results: 

• 1^st: Rob Britton (Rally Cycling): 18:29
• 2^nd: Serghei Tvetcov (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis): 0:13 behind Britton
• 3^rd: Gavin Mannion (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team): 0:26 behind Britton

Team Novo Nordisk Results: 

• Umberto Poli: 83^rd: 2:51 behind Britton
• Fabio Calabria: 97^th: 3:12 behind Britton
• Rik van IJzendoorn: 109^th: 3:48 behind Britton
• Sam Brand: 113^th: 3:59 behind Britton
• Gerd de Keijzer: 116^th: 4:12 behind Britton
• Stephen Clancy: 117^th: 4:12 behind Britton
• Reid McClure: 123^rd: 4:43 behind Britton

(Photos: ©VeloImages)

Race: Tour of Utah, Stage 4

Start/Finish: South Jordan City/South Jordan City, Utah

Distance: 199.1 kilometers

South Jordan City, Utah — Team Novo Nordisk’s notched its best result at this year’s Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah when Fabio Calabria sprinted to 10^th on Stage 4.

The 199.1-kilometer course was the race’s “sprint” stage despite having nearly a dozen lumpy climbs throughout the day. From the start, attacks flew with Team Novo Nordisk covering the majority of them. At one point, it looked like Stephen Clancy would make the break, but the race came back together again.

After 90 minutes of racing, a six-man break finally escaped. They earned a maximum gap of 5:30. Following the second intermediate sprint, the breakaway attacked itself and Gonzalo Serrano (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Lorenzo Rota (Bardini-CSF) became the new leaders on the road. The duo reached the two finishing laps around South Jordan with a 30-second advantage, yet the race came together with 10 km to go.

In the end, it came down to a high-speed bunch sprint with John Murphy (Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team) taking the win and the 29-year-old Calabria rounding out the top 10.

Fabio Calabria

“On paper, it was supposed to be the easiest stage of the week, but it ended up being harder than people were expecting. Everyone was riding aggressively from the start, so it took quite awhile for the break to go. We were active at the front and well represented. Once the break went, we raced well together and focused on staying hydrated.

The finish was almost like a criterium with two circuits. Coming out of the final corner there was a tailwind, so it was a roaring fast sprint. With 100 meters to go, I was probably 25^th. It ended up being a little like a game of frogger bouncing around and trying to find the right wheel. I saved a little jump for the last bit and managed to pop out in the top 10.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, is currently competing in two races: Tour de Pologne and Tour of Utah. Friday’s Stage 7 in the Tour de Pologne serves as the race’s final stage. It is 132.5 km long and starts and finishes in Bukowina Tatrzanska. Stage 5 of the Tour of Utah returns to the mountains and finishes with a crushing two-lap circuit featuring a category 3 climb before a downhill finish into Bountiful.

Gallery:

Results: 

• 1^st: John Murphy (Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team): 4:22:23
• 2^nd: Alfredo Rodriguez (Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling): same time as Murphy
• 3^rd: Mihkel Raim (Israel Cycling Academy): same time as Murphy

Team Novo Nordisk Results: 

• Fabio Calabria: 10^th: same time as Murphy
• Umberto Poli: 44^th: same time as Murphy
• Stephen Clancy: 62^nd: same time as Murphy
• Rik van IJzendoorn: 83^rd: 0:12 behind Murphy
• Reid McClure: 86^th: 0:12 behind Murphy
• Gerd de Keijzer: 100^th: 0:20 behind Murphy
• Sam Brand: 101^st: 0:23 behind Murphy

(Photos: ©VeloImages)

Race: Tour of Utah, Stage 5

Start/Finish: Layton/Bountiful, Utah

Distance: 185.4 kilometers

Bountiful, Utah — Team Novo Nordisk’s Gerd De Keijzer and Fabio Calabria went down in a mid-race pileup on Stage 5 of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. Both riders were able to finish the challenging stage and are expected to start Stage 6.

The 185.4-kilometer course began flat and had a few small climbs in the middle before two crushing laps featuring a Category 3 climb. Similar to Stage 4, the peloton didn’t let the break go for nearly 90 minutes. Team Novo Nordisk made numerous attempts to get into the break, but when a large crash took down De Keijzer and Calabria along with a dozen other riders, 15 riders escaped up the road and formed the day’s main break.

With such a sizeable group, four riders attacked and stayed off the front until the race came through Bountiful for the first time. By the second time over Bountiful Bench, the race splintered and only two dozen riders battled for the win.

In the downhill run into Bountiful, Travis McCabe (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team) outsprinted the competition to the line. Rob Britton (Rally Cycling) held onto the overall race lead heading into the race’s penultimate stage.

Reid McClure

“I thought today would be similar to the other days with a standard breakaway that would come back together before those two final, steep climbs. Like all the other days this week, it took a long time for the break to go. What finally allowed it to go was the big crash. That allowed those 15 riders to get up the road and meant the rest of us had to chase back of the next 20 km. I knew I had burned a lot of my matches for the day getting back and over those final climbs.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, has two stages remaining at the Tour of Utah. Saturday’s 97.8-km stage serves as the race’s queen stage or hardest stage. The day kicks off in Heber Valley and includes the Alpine Loop, a Category 1 climb that runs beside Sundance Resort, before a summit finish up to Snowbird Resort with nearly 10 km of climbing at 8 to 12 percent.

Gallery:

Results: 

• 1^st: Travis McCabe (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team): 4:05:26
• 2^nd: Marco Canola (Nippo-Vini Fantini): same time as McCabe
• 3^rd: Logan Owen (Axeon Hagens Berman): same time as McCabe

Team Novo Nordisk Results: 

• Sam Brand: 59^th: 9:59 behind McCabe
• Fabio Calabria: 61^st: 9:59 behind McCabe
• Rik van IJzendoorn: 62^nd: 9:59 behind McCabe
• Umberto Poli: 73^rd: 9:59 behind McCabe
• Gerd de Keijzer: 110^th: 16:35 behind McCabe
• Stephen Clancy: 113^th: 16:35 behind McCabe
• Reid McClure: 114^th: 16:35 behind McCabe

(Photos: ©VeloImages)

Race: Tour of Utah, Stage 6

Start/Finish: Heber Valley/Snowbird Resort, Utah

Distance: 97.8 kilometers

Snowbird Resort, Utah — Six Team Novo Nordisk riders completed the Queen Stage at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. In the two times the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team has tackled America’s Toughest Stage Race, no more than three riders have started the final day of the race. The remaining riders include three neo-pros and one stagiaire who is making his professional cycling debut at the American race.

The team only lost Gerd De Keijzer on Saturday’s stage after he sustained injuries in Friday’s Stage 5 crash. The Dutchman held on until the final climb to Snowbird before he was pulled from the race.

The 97.8-kilometer race saw a sizeable 18-man breakaway escape early into the short day. Heading up the first categorized climb, four riders bridged up to the break. As the race hit the bottom slopes up to Snowbird, Bardiani-CSF took control of the peloton, drove the pace and splintered the race. On the 10 km climb, a seven-man elite front group emerged that included current race leader Rob Britton (Rally Cycling) and two Bardiani riders.

On the final approach, attacks flew yet it was Giulio Ciccone (Bardiani-CSF)’s move that proved decisive. He took the win by 35 seconds over his teammate Simone Sterbini (Bardiani-CSF). Rob Britton (Rally Cycling) held onto the overall race lead.

Fabio Calabria

“Today lived up to its billing. It was definitely a tough stage with two super challenging climbs. We were sad to lose Gerd on the final climb, but he fought so hard to make it to the end after yesterday’s crash. My legs and hip felt pretty good today, and I’m hoping I’ve recovered from that crash enough to take a go at it tomorrow.”

Sunday serves as the final stage of the Tour of Utah. Stage 7 is an 117.8-km circuit race around downtown Salt Lake City. The 11-lap course features a climb up State Street and should come down to a sprint finish.

Gallery:

Results: 

• 1^st: Giulio Ciccone (Bardiani-CSF): 2:45:38
• 2^nd: Simone Sterbini (Bardiani-CSF): 0:35 behind Ciccone
• 3^rd: Neilson Powless (Axeon Hagens Berman): 0:41 behind Ciccone

Team Novo Nordisk Results: 

• Fabio Calabria: 77^th: 21:26 behind Ciccone
• Sam Brand: 82^nd: 21:26 behind Ciccone
• Umberto Poli: 89^th: 21:26 behind Ciccone
• Reid McClure: 92^nd: 21:26 behind Ciccone
• Stephen Clancy: 99^th: 21:26 behind Ciccone
• Rik van IJzendoorn: 108^th: 22:24 behind Ciccone
• Gerd de Keijzer: DNF

(Photos: ©VeloImages)

Race: Tour of Utah, Stage 7

Start/Finish: Salt Lake City/Salt Lake City, Utah

Distance: 117.8 kilometers

Salt Lake City, Utah — Team Novo Nordisk stagiaire Sam Brand became the first Isle of Man native to ever complete the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah when the seven-day race finished in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday.

Stage 7 took place on a 10.8-kilometer course that circled the Utah state capitol. The peloton tackled 11 laps around the circuit, which included a punchy one-kilometer climb at the start/finish.

Attacks flew from the start with 17 riders forming an early breakaway. Their gap hovered around a minute for several laps. With six laps to go, several riders from the chase bridged up while a few riders dropped back to the main group. The newly formed group increased their pace, which started to splinter both the break and the chasing peloton.

The race regrouped several times and by the final lap, there was a four-man front group that included several of the day’s original escapees. Manuel Senni (BMC Racing Team) and Redi Halilaj (Amore & Vita) each laid down aggressive attacks but all the escapees were caught by the sprinter’s teams with 2 km to go.

It was a battle up the final climb, but it came down to a bold move in the final 200 meters by Marco Canola (Nippo-Vini Fantini) who took the win two seconds ahead of the chasing peloton.

Gallery:

Sam Brand:

“I’m over the moon that I was able to finish this race as a stagiaire. It was a hard, but I’m happy. I knew I had the power and capability to finish this race but there is a difference between knowing something and actually doing it. I knew it would be tough and it was tough every single day, but I’m here and I did it.”

Team Novo Nordisk returns to racing on Thursday with the four-day Colorado Classic when it kicks off in Colorado Springs.

Results: 

• 1^st: Marco Canola (Nippo-Vini Fantini): 2:40:18
• 2^nd: Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team): 0:02 behind Canola
• 3^rd: Gavin Mannion (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team): 0:02 behind Canola

Team Novo Nordisk Results: 

• Fabio Calabria: 39^th: 0:45 behind Canola
• Rik van IJzendoorn: 52^nd: 1:23 behind Canola
• Sam Brand: 2:46: 79^th behind Canola
• Umberto Poli: 96^th: 8:48 behind Canola
• Stephen Clancy: 98^th: 8:48 behind Canola
• Reid McClure: DNF

(Photos: ©VeloImages)