SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 Sports) - Andy Guptill is one of the most promising young cyclists racing in the North American peloton. He took the time to visit the Sports Zone on Sunday to talk about this week's Tour of Utah. Check out the entire interview with Emerson Lotzia and Wesley Ruff by clicking on the video link attached to this story.
More about Andy: In stage races and one-day events, Andy demonstrated tremendous endurance and smart riding skills – both of which were key to Jamis/Sutter Home’s success in 2010. The combination yielded outstanding results for Andy on a personal level as well. He finished in the top 10 in USA Cycling’s National Road Championships and in the top five at the Roadrunner Classic.
Now in his fifth season with the team, Andy has been riding since he was 13. Cycling became a serious pursuit after a local bike store invited him to try a mountain bike race. In 2001, Andy joined the US National Team as a junior for the Mountain Bike World Championships. In 2005 and 2006, he raced with the US National Team at the Tour de Georgia and numerous events in Europe. Andy is a graduate of graduate of Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO, and off the bike he enjoys hiking, snow shoeing, and rock climbing.
Tour of Utah Fact Sheet
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah returns for a sixth edition August 9-14, 2011. Historic landmarks, scenic byways and community festivals are part of the 409-mile stage race. The six-day race and rolling festival was elevated this year by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to a 2.1-rated stage race, which makes it one of the top three pro cycling events of its kind for North America. The Tour of Utah promises to uphold its distinction as "America's Toughest Stage Race" with close to 30,000 feet of climbing over the total route, as well as providing stunning scenery along the Wasatch Front in and around six Host Venues. The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah continues to be free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique pro sports in the world today.
What does it take to put on an event like the Tour of Utah? Here is a list of a few fun facts and stats related to what it takes to make this professional cycling event a success for athletes, spectators, sponsors and volunteers:
•August 9-14, 2011 marks the sixth year of racing for the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.
•Tour of Utah is sanctioned by USA Cycling, Inc. (Colorado Springs, CO) and the Union Cycliste Internationale (Switzerland).
•New UCI 2.1 stage-race ranking by the world's governing body for cycling (UCI), as one of top multi-day road races in North America.
•This is the third year that title sponsorship will be provided by Larry H. Miller Group of Companies.
•The race features six days of professional cycling - a prologue and five road stages.
•The pro cyclists will race 409 miles in the six days. It takes organizers over 45 days and approximately 2,045 miles to log this route for the cyclists.
•There will be 16 international teams competing in August. They are registered in seven countries - Canada, Colombia, Italy, Great Britain, New Zealand, Spain and the United States.
•Over $116,000 in prize money and award jerseys will be available in 2011.
•The teamgive Pedal Power Festival at the Tour of Utah has provided three exciting days of events and activities for children in Utah, and will return in 2011.
•The fourth annual Ultimate Challenge presented by UnitedHealthcare, a one-day, non-competitive ride for recreational cyclists, will be August 6. It allows amateur cyclists to experience the same challenging climbs that the pros ride, from Park City to Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort.
•The Tour of Utah is owned by the Utah Cycling Partnership. Steve Miller serves as president of the Utah Cycling Partnership, a unique and separate entity from the other properties that make up the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies. Race operations for the 2011 Tour of Utah will be managed by Medalist Sports.
•For the Individual Time Trial at Miller Motorsports Park (Stage 3 presented by UnitedHealthcare), cyclists should complete the 9.7-mile course in 17-18 minutes. Prior to hitting the course, cyclists will typically warm up for three times longer, riding a trainer for 45-60 minutes.
•The final day, Stage 5 presented by Zions Bank, challenges riders with a mountain-top finish at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, covering 100 miles and 10,900 feet of climbing. The average pro cyclist is expected to burn 5,500-7,000 calories that day.
•While there are up to 128 bicycles in the race every day, there will be 150 motor vehicles in the caravan each day - team cars, officials, media, medical, motor marshals, etc.
•Athletes will consume close to 500 pounds of pasta during the week, eating one-third of this for breakfast each day. Also for breakfast, athletes will consume close to 1,500 eggs over the course of the week.
•Each day close to one mile of fencing is used at the start and finish areas as safety barriers. This is equivalent to 26,100 cycling helmets placed end to end for the six days.
•Close to 1,000 volunteers representing Utah and more than 25 other states are expected for this year's event. They will stay hydrated with 19,200 servings of Dasani water during the week.
** These facts are estimates determined from Tour of Utah staff reports.
