For some time, there has been a rumor that the Queen Stage (and as a consequence the Ultimate Challenge) was going to get harder. I don’t like the sounds of this: 13,000 feet of vertical. Seriously, this may be the year that a lot of amateurs are going to take a pass on the Ultimate Challenge. It makes me feel some real pain for the pros as well, who do not really have a choice.
Stage 6: Saturday, August 9 The “Queen Stage” not only covers new territory on the 107.2-mile route, but has also added more climbing this year. Close to 13,000 feet of elevation gain and four KOMs will make stage 6 a true challenge for the riders, and 7,000 feet of climbing will take place in the final 35 miles after passing through Park City. Salt Lake City will host the start for both events outside Rice-Eccles Stadium, the site of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics, and home to University of Utah football games. Riders will begin climbing almost immediately with the gradual ascent up Emigration Canyon, followed by the tougher climb on Big Mountain. The race will travel through rural Morgan and Summit counties before reaching the resort town of Park City and making the arduous ascent over Guardsman Pass, with an 11-percent gradient. Following a 14-mile descent through Big Cottonwood Canyon, the route concludes with the legendary six-mile climb into Little Cottonwood Canyon for the finish at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort. This is another day for the climbers of the Tour, and a special day for amateur cyclists. This is the fifth year for The Ultimate Challenge presented by University of Utah Health Care and Utah National Guard. The Ultimate Challenge (www.rideuc.com) has a rolling start from 6-7 a.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium, with the Tour of Utah beginning at 10:50 a.m. Copyright VeloNews.com http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/06/news/route-details-announced-2014-tour-utah_331433
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