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2015 Tour of Utah: Kiel Reijnen sprints to Stage 1 victory

United HealthCare's Kiel Reijnen drew first blood in the 2015 Tour of Utah Monday, making a move on the wet finishing circuit of Logan to join the remnants of the day's breakaway and take the sprint.

August 3, 2015
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United HealthCare’s Kiel Reijnen drew first blood in the 2015 Tour of Utah Monday, making a move on the wet finishing circuit of Logan to join the remnants of the day’s breakaway and take the sprint.

Disappointing news came overnight that defending champion Tom Danielson (USA/Cannondale-Garmin) tested positive for synthetic testosterone. Danielson, who won two consecutive Tour of Utah titles, found Cannondale withdrawing him from the race and suspending him from the team. Danielson testified in the USADA’s investigation into Lance Armstrong and US Postal, and received a six-month suspension in 2012-2013 for admitting to doping.

The appearance of BMC’s Taylor Phinney and Peter Stetina, both back after a long time out of the pro peloton due to serious injuries, mitigated the bad news.

The start line in Logan, Utah was sodden, and the riders faced a long uphill drag for the first 56-km before descending to cross the Idaho border and circle Bear Lake. A seven-man breakaway consisting of Pro Continental and Continental riders slipped away a couple of kilometres after the gun. The septet rolled up a maximum 14:50 gap over the Cannondale-Garmin-driven peloton.

Greg Daniel (USA/Axeon) crested the Cat. 3 first climb of the day in the lead and also took the two intermediate sprints on the course.

Meanwhile, the first of two women’s races was taking place in Logan’s pouring rain. A crit in the city saw Allie Dragoo of TeamTwenty16 scoot away from the others to pick up a $100 prime and then stay away for several laps to seize the win.

The men’s breakaway began to fragment as it started the Cat. 2 climb–the descent it had dropped earlier–with a 6:00 lead. Daniel, Johann Van Zyl (South Africa/MTN-Qhubeka) and Emerson Oronte (USA/Team SmartStop) opened a gap on the others, with Daniel again taking the KOM points.

The trio had a long, gradual descent to the finish. With 40-km to go they had a 5:00 gap over the Bardiani-CSF-led peloton, and 12-km later held 3:30. Inside 10-km Oronto faded back and with 5-km remaining Daniel and Van Zyl got three reinforcements from the looming peloton–Reijnen, Phinney and Alex Howes (USA/Cannondale-Garmin).

That quintet sprinted it out, with Reijnen nipping Howes, and Phinney marking his return in emphatic fashion with third. The top Canadian was Pierrick Naud (Optum) in 38th.

Tuesday’s second stage travels from Tremonton to Ogdon, where the cyclists will navigate three finishing circuits.

2015 Tour of Utah Stage 1
1) Kiel Reijnen (USA/UnitedHealthcare) 5:09:02
2) Alex Howes (USA/Cannondale-Garmin) s.t.
3) Taylor Phinney (USA/BMC) s.t.

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