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James Piccoli hasn’t finished below second in a stage race this season

Canadian with gritty performance on Tour of Utah's Empire Pass

Canada’s James Piccoli (Elevate KHS) put up a fight on the Tour of Utah’s last climb to finish second overall in a stage race for the fourth time this season. Having also won the Tour of the Gila, Piccoli hasn’t finished below second in all five of his stage races.

Piccoli was awarded the most combative prize for the seven days of the race.

The Route

Stage 6 was the final round of the 15th Tour of Utah, Ben Hermans of Israel Cycling Academy leading Piccoli by 46-seconds. Riders would start and end in Park City, taking in a 125-km route with 12.8 km of 7.8 percent Empire Pass cresting nine kilometres before the finish.

The remains of a breakaway hit the foot of the climb Empire Pass, but soon a select group that included 2015 winner Joe Dombrowski, Piccoli and Hermans was in the lead. Dombrowski attacked and Piccoli was able to go with him. Piccoli also attacked Hermans a few times, but fell away with 5-km to climb. Piccoli piled on the coals and scrapped back to Hermans before the peak.

Dombrowski carried the day, EF Education First’s second stage win in a row. Dombrowski also climbed onto the podium with his triumph, Trek’s Niklas Ek having fallen down to fifth after a difficult time on Empire Pass. Hermans, the runner-up last season, adds the Tour of Utah to his Tour of Austria victory this season.

2019 Tour of Utah Stage 6
1) Joe Dombrowski (USA/EF Education First) 3:11:09
2) João Almeida (Portugal/Hagens Berman Axeon) +0:24
3) Keegan Swirbul (USA/Floyd’s Pro Cycling) +0:26
5) James Piccoli (Canada/Elevate KHS) +0:30

2019 Tour of Utah GC
1) Ben Hermans (Belgium/Israel Cycling Academy) 18:46:09
2) James Piccoli (Canada/Elevate KHS) +0:50
3) Joe Dombrowski (USA/EF Education First) +1:32