SALT LAKE CITY — A total of 16 professional cycling teams will compete at this year’s Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, the first weeklong UCI 2.1-rated stage race in North America following the Tour de France. Jelly Belly p/b Kenda was among the teams announced by race organizers this week.
The Tour of Utah will take place August 6-11, 2013.
The final field represents teams registered from seven countries on four continents – Australia, Brazil, China, Italy, Luxembourg, South Africa and the United States.
“The field for this year’s Tour is outstanding with professional teams coming from across the globe to compete on Utah’s scenic byways,” said Steve Miller, president of Miller Sports Properties which organizes the Tour of Utah. “For cycling fans traveling to Utah, the race is a great opportunity to witness the speed, strength and skills of the riders from the best domestic squads, as well as the international teams we typically watch on television.”
Based in San Marcos, California, Jelly Belly p/b Kenda has the longest-running domestic sponsor in the sport. The team returns to the Tour of Utah, having last raced in 2010, and this year has riders from six countries. The Jelly Belly squad is led by veteran American sprinter Fred Rodriguez, who won a record-setting fourth U.S. National Road Race championship, at the age of 39. The team also features Brad Huff, a former U.S. National Criterium Champion, and Christiaan Kriek, who won the Sprint Jersey at Redlands Bicycle Classic. This year the team has had podium finishes at a number of races, including San Dimas Stage Race, Sea Otter Classic and Nature Valley Grand Prix.
“We are excited to be part of this race and will contest every stage,” said Jelly Belly p/b Kenda director Danny Van Haute.