(SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH) – University of Utah Health Care has announced plans to continue support for a fourth year with the 2011 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. University of Utah Health Care will again provide full medical support for the week-long event. The organization will also take an active part in the Saturday circuit race in Salt Lake City, Stage 4 presented by University of Utah Health Care.
This all-new circuit race, Stage 4 presented by University of Utah Health Care, boasts an exciting 82-mile (132-kilometer) course through the avenues and neighborhoods of downtown Salt Lake City. The circuit consists of 11 laps of 7.4 miles each, for the total 82 miles, giving spectators many opportunities to see the peloton. For the first time in the Tour of Utah, the race will pass through Presidents Circle on the campus of the University of Utah. This horseshoe-shaped avenue is lined with shade trees for a great place to set up a picnic on race day. State Street is another good viewing area, which includes an 11 percent climb past the Utah State Capitol.
The Salt Lake City hospital system will supply the medical team throughout the race, led by its own Dr. Kenneth Yonemura as Medical Director. Dr. Yonemura, a neurosurgeon at University of Utah Health Care, is an avid cyclist who has led the medical team since 2008. The medical team serves not only the needs of athletes, but of officials, volunteers, workers, and spectators throughout the six-day event.
“We are pleased to continue our support as the medical provider and a sponsor for what has become one of the country’s premier cycling events,” said David Entwistle, CEO of the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics. “These world-class athletes represent the best in cycling, and our world-class physicians and medical providers represent the best in their fields. It’s an excellent partnership and we’re looking forward to a safe and competitive race.”
University of Utah Health Care is the No. 1 health care system in the Salt Lake City metro area, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2011-2012 Best Hospitals rankings. As part of that system, University Hospitals & Clinics rely on more than 1,100 board-certified physicians who staff four University hospitals (University Hospital, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, University Orthopaedic Center, and the University Neuropsychiatric Institute), 10 community clinics, and several specialty centers.
Employees of University of Utah Health Care, along with their families, will join the volunteer ranks during the race. The event relies on the support of more than 1,000 volunteers throughout the week. Volunteer registration remains open at the Tour web site.
The 7th edition of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah will consist of an opening prologue and five stages. The Prologue presented by KJZZ-TV and 1320 KFAN will be hosted at Utah Olympic Park in Park City on Tuesday, August 9. Stage races will be hosted the next two days by Ogden and Provo, respectively, Stage One presented by Miller Lite and Stage Two presented by Adobe. The August 12 Individual Time Trial presented by UnitedHealthcare will be held for the fourth consecutive year at Miller Motorsports Park. This will be followed on Saturday by a circuit race in downtown Salt Lake City, Stage 4 presented by University of Utah Health Care, and the closing “Queen Stage” on Sunday from Park City to Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Stage 5 presented by Zions Bank.
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah continues to be free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique pro sports in the world today. Official information will be posted at www.tourofutah.com, with updates on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
About University of Utah Health Care
University of Utah Health Care is the Intermountain West’s only academic health care system, providing leading-edge and compassionate medicine for the people of Utah and a referral area encompassing five states and more than 10 percent of the continental United States. The health system includes four hospitals – University of Utah Hospital; the University of Utah Orthopaedic Center; University Neuropsychiatric Institute; and Huntsman Cancer Hospital – with more than 1,000 physicians offering more than 200 medical specialties. In 2010, University of Utah Health Care ranked No. 1 among all U.S. academic medical centers in the rigorous University HealthSystem Consortium Quality and Accountability study.
About the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
Deemed "America's Toughest Stage RaceTM," the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is a six-day, professional bicycle stage race along the Rocky Mountain's Wasatch Range. It will cover 409 miles of racing through some of Utah's most beautiful and challenging terrain. Now in its seventh year, the 2011 Tour of Utah is scheduled to take place August 9-14 as a UCI 2.1 sanctioned stage race for the best professional cyclists in the world. The event is owned and operated by the Utah Cycling Partnership. More information can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com.