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2016 Tour of Utah Stage 5: Kiel Reijnen sprints to Bountiful victory

American's first win for Trek-Segafredo

August 5, 2016
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American Kiel Reijnen enjoyed a sigh of relief Friday, taking his first win with Trek-Segafredo at the Tour of Utah. Reijnen was runner-up to Travis McCabe Thursday, but was fastest 24-hours later in a reduced bunch sprint. Lachlan Morton (Australia/Jelly Belly) stayed in yellow.


The field faced 183-km with four climbs in the final two-thirds, including a double passage of Bountiful Bench in the last 25-km.


Soon after the start in scenic Antelope Island State Park, an 11-man group containing Canadian Alex Cataford (Silber) and serial fugitive Simon Pellaud (Switzerland/IAM Cycling) surged off the front. Daniel Eaton (USA/UnitedHealthcare) was first over Cat. 3 North Ogden Divide, while Brayan Sanchez (Colombia/Jamis) topped Cat. 3 Trappers Loop in the lead.

On the descent of Trappers Loop, the escape still had 4:00 over the peloton. Jelly Belly and Holowesko-Citadel took responsibility for the chase. With 40-km remaining the gap was 2:30.

Even though Bountiful Bench is rated Cat. 3, it’s a tough 5.8-km haul with a maximum grade of 13%. Five fugitives shed the others and hit the first slopes with 2:00. Julien Bernard (France/IAM Cycling) went solo on Lap 1 but on Lap 2 just before the Bench most of the original break reformed.

Two-time USA road champion Matthew Busche (USA/UnitedHealthcare) took off when the road tilted up again. Irishman Eddy Dunbar caught and passed the American, but two Colombians, Janier Acevado (Jamis) and fourth-place Darwin Atapuma (BMC), along with Dunbar’s British teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart made it a leading quartet.

Stiff attacks in the peloton brought it closer to the break and race came back together on the plateau of the Bench. Different teams drove hard on the descent. It was another chaotic sprint from a very streamlined peloton. Joey Rosskopf (USA/BMC) launched from far out, but Reijnen ripped through the middle, holding off a challenge on the left from Geoghegan Hart and Alex Howes (USA/Cannondale-Drapac).

Saturday sees the queen stage of the 12th Tour of Utah. There are two long ascents in the latter half of the day, including the tough summit finish at Snowbird Resort.

2016 Tour of Utah Stage 5
1) Kiel Reijnen (USA/Trek-Segafredo) 4:22:38
2) Tao Geoghegan Hart (Great Britain/Axeon-Hagens Berman) s.t.
3) Alex Howes (USA/Cannondale-Drapac) s.t.
9) Rob Britton (Canada/Rally) s.t.

2016 Tour of Utah GC
1) Lachlan Morton (Australia/Jelly Belly) 19:17:18
2) Andrew Talansky (USA/Cannondale-Drapac) +0:09
3) Adrian Costa (USA/Axeon-Hagens Berman) +0:34
6) Rob Britton (Canada/Rally) +1:32