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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
If you're interested in seeing world-class athletes competing, TV is not the only place to look. Starting today, world-class athletes are coming to Utah for what's been named "America's Toughest Stage Race," the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah! The Tour of Utah is also UCI 2.1 sanctioned, meaning it's one of the four top-rated stage races in North America for 2013.
This is a six-day professional bike stage race starting in Southern Utah at Brian Head Ski Resort and finishing in Park City. It covers almost 586 miles and climbs over 43,000 feet, showcasing some of the most brutal climbs in North America. This year includes eight new climbs, including Boulder Mountain, which sits in Garfield and Wayne counties. Not to mention, the race will give viewers a peek at The Mighty Five, our five spectacular national parks and some of the scenic byways that transport visitors there.
Returning to the Tour for the first time since 2010 is a climb over the summit of Mount Nebo. It's the highest mountain in the Wasatch Range at an elevation of almost 12,000 feet.
A total of 16 professional cycling teams from around the globe will compete at this year's Tour of Utah. These are prestigious athletes including Tour de France podium finishers and stage winners and national and Olympic champions. This event is so popular it now attracts worldwide attention. And it's free and open to spectators.
The economic impact from the Tour of Utah is huge with national television coverage reaching 70 million homes while fans in over 118 countries see the web casting. The 2011 race set an attendance record with an estimated 225,000 spectators across the six days of competition. Last year the estimated economic impact was $14 million in revenue for our state, and it helps support Utah's thriving tourism industry, which employs approximately 9 percent of the Utah workforce.
For more information on the Tour of Utah, visit tourofutah.com.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
Tour of Utah 301 W. South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84101 801-325-2500 www.tourofutah.com
