Trek-LIVESTRONG riders Taylor Phinney(USA) and Alex Dowsett (GBR) finished first and second in the opening prologue of the 2010 Tour of Utah. Commonly referred to as “America’s Toughest Stage Race,” 20-year-old Phinney finished the 2.8-mile course in a new course record of  6:02:59.

Teammate and European U23 time trial champion Dowsett trailed the two-time Paris-Roubaix U23 champion by five seconds with a time of 6:07. Brent Bookwalter, the 2009 Tour of Utah prologue champion, rounded out the podium in third place (6:12).

In a field of 143 riders including Tour de France veterans Levi Leipheimer (Mellow Johnny’s) and George Hincapie (BMC Racing), Trek-LIVESTRONG has already proven themselves power players amongst the top three NRC teams including Bissell, Team Type 1, Holowesko Partners, Kelly Benefit Strategies, Kenda-Geargrinder, Adageo Energy and Bahati Foundation.

Joe Dombrowski warms up for the prologue

Tim Roe warming up for the prologue

Joe Dombrowski heading back down towards the finish

Ben King heading out on the prologue

Chase Pinkham diggin deep

Julian on his way back in

Tim on his way back home

Alex on his way to 2nd place in the prologue at Tour of Utah

Taylor Phinney on his way to victory in the prologue at Tour of Utah

2010 TOUR OF UTAH: AUG. 17 - 22

Trek-LIVESTRONG looks to complete their impressive season as they enter the final race of the year – the 2010 Tour of Utah. “America’s Toughest Stage Race” will feature Joe Dombrowski, Alex Dowsett, Ben King (AUS), Julian Kyer, Taylor Phinney, Chase Pinkham, and Tim Roe.

The race, with five jerseys up for grabs, will cover much of Utah’s mountains, lending an advantage to riders Roe and King in particular, who have shown strong climbing performance throughout the year. Dowsett will look to perform well in the time trial coming off his victory at the U23 European championships. Paris-Roubaix U23 champion Phinney returns to racing after suffering a knee injury in a crash at the Tour of Denmark.

Also riding the Tour of Utah is Team Radioshack’s Levi Leipheimer, fresh of his record-breaking performance at the Leadville-100. Leipheimer, who will ride for Mellow Johnny’s, is sure to be a threat in the mountains as he knows the terrain and roads well having trained and attended high school in Utah.

Leipheimer and Trek-LIVESTRONG will compete amongst a field that boasts last year’s winner Francisco Mancebo, now riding with Canyon Bicycles, as well as Darren Lill, another 2009 podium finisher.  Jeff Louder, of BMC Pro Cycling team, will also look to repeat a 2008 win, with support of teammates George Hincapie and Brent Bookwalter.

The 2010 Tour of Utah begins with a traditional prologue of 2.8 miles on Aug. 17.  The riders will then ride two road races, 85 and 75 miles each, before Stage 3’s coveted 9.2-mile individual time trial.  Stage 4 offers a 90-minute criterium, followed by a 102-mile road race finale.  Climbing specialists will look to capitalize in the first two road races of Stage 2 and 3, which feature climbs of Big Mountain and Mount Nebo.  All in all, the 2010 will certainly live to be “America’s Toughest Stage Race,” with 23,000 feet of climbing, and each day pivotal in the search for a general classification champion.

Though it will be the first Tour of Utah for some the riders from Trek-LIVESTRONG, Ben King (AUS) and Chase Pinkham will look to improve upon their finishes from last year with their knowledge of the course.  King finished 32nd while Pinkham finished 45th, seventh place overall in the Best Utah Rider classification.  For Pinkham in particular, this race winds through his daily training routes, having grown up in Salt Lake City.

Stay tuned for updates as the Trek-LIVESTRONG kicks off the 2010 Tour of Utah alongside Levi Leipheimer with today’s prologue beginning at 6:00pm MDT.

UPDATED: Trek-LIVESTRONG Start Times, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2010

Joe Dombrowski joins Trek-LIVESTRONG as a trainee for the Tour of Utah beginning Aug. 17. A trainee, as cited by the International Cycling Union, is a rider who joins a professional team for a trial period post-August 1. Dombrowski, pinned for the Tour of Utah six-man squad, will bring a climbing specialty to Trek-LIVESTRONG in their final race of the 2010 season. The Tour of Utah, commonly referred to as “America’s Toughest Stage Race”, will feature a prologue, three road stages, a criterium, and a time trial.

Dombrowski, a current rider for Team About Haymarket Bicycles / HomeVisit, originally got his start as a successful mountain biker. With a particular advantage on the uphill, he will be in his element amongst Utah’s hilly terrain and challenging climbs.

The 19-year-old rider from Marshall, Virginia will build off a strong performance, finishing fifth place at the Cascades Cycling Classic in Bend, Ore., as well as a first place finish in the Tour of Washington County Road Race.

On his upcoming race with Trek-LIVESTRONG Dombrowski says, “I’m excited to ride for a team that has such a solid program, and represents a great organization; especially at a race as challenging and well-known as the Tour of Utah. It is certainly a great opportunity!”

The Tour of Utah begins Aug. 17 with a prologue in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.

Trek-LIVESTRONG welcomes Ian Boswell, Lawson Craddock and Ryan Eastman as the latest additions to the team lineup for 2011.  Graduating from the 17-18 junior category, Craddock and Eastman are among the most accomplished up-and-coming talents in the United States.  Boswell joins Trek-LIVESTRONG after a key development year with Bissell Pro Cycling U23 Team. Each rider will build upon their current success, enabling Trek-LIVESTRONG to become an even more competitive and commanding U23 team in 2011.

LAWSON CRADDOCK (Houston, Texas, February 20, 1992) is one of the most talked about junior cyclists in the world. Craddock is the reigning 2010 USA Cycling Junior National champion. The 18-year-old swept all three stages of the race- the first to do so in 28 years- specifically winning the individual time trial by a two-minute margin. Craddock finishes his 2010 season with the USA Junior National Team in Europe, before moving to Austin, Texas this fall to began studies as a part-time college student.

IAN BOSWELL (Chico, Calif. February 7, 1991), a former teammate of Craddock’s on Hot Tubes Development, looks to bring his experience at the junior level in climbing, time trialing and stage racing to Trek-LIVESTRONG.  Currently 19, Boswell comes to the team after racing with Bissell Pro Cycling U23 Team.  Among his successes as a rider, Boswell has won the Nevada City Classic, and came in 12th place in the Northstar Road Race.

RYAN EASTMAN (Petuluma, Calif., July 28th 1992) has quickly ascended to the pinnacle of talent at the junior level in cycling. After playing a host of sports throughout his life, Eastman has primarily focused on cycling since his high school years. Now joining Trek-LIVESTRONG at the age of 18, he graduates from junior team All Sport-Team Swift after serving as team captain and enjoying several podium finishes at races across the United States with the Junior National Team.

When asked about their decisions to join Trek-LIVESTRONG, the new riders noted the successful precedent the team has set for developing young riders in recent years.

“I decided to join Trek-LIVESTRONG because of the great developmental team that they have grown and the success that they have had,” said Craddock. “I will also be living in Austin, Texas next year, and with the team being based out of Austin, I feel that I will be greatly supported.”

“With guidance from cycling greats such as Axel Merckx and the Grand Champion himself, Lance Armstrong, there is no better place to learn the winning ways of the cycling world and advance in the sport with the support and leadership that this team can provide,” added Boswell.

Eastman continued, noting the team’s opportunity to raise awareness for team owner Lance Armstrong’s foundation, LIVESTRONG. “I know a lot of people whose families have been affected by cancer and it is a privilege for me to be a part of a team that helps fight the disease and raise awareness for cancer survivors around the world.”

After his mother’s diagnosis of breast cancer four years ago, Boswell also looks forward to the opportunity to ride under the LIVESTRONG. “Lance Armstrong’s story gave my mom a lot of hope and determination to win her battle with cancer. I’m proud to be spreading the word about cancer awareness, because it affects everyone in one way or another, but together we can overcome this struggle.”

With these three promising young riders as their latest members, Trek-LIVESTRONG looks toward continued success in 2011.

LAWSON CRADDOCK TO JOIN TREK-LIVESTRONG IN 2011.

Trek-LIVESTRONG’s Alex Dowsett glided through the finish line of yesterday’s Awbrey Butte Circuit Race to claim the first place victory. After a late-race move that propelled him just beyond the bunch sprint from the main peloton, the Trek-LIVESTRONG rider threw his arms up in victory.  The last stage of the 133.6-kilometer Cascade Cycling Classic proved a close race, with only two seconds separating Alex from sprinters Frank Pipp and Andy Jacque-Maynes.

On the whole, Team Trek-LIVESTRONG put forth a powerful showing throughout the race, ending the Cascade Cycling Classic as leaders of the team GC.  Dowsett teammate Ben King (USA) was another notable of the race, clinching the white jersey as the best young rider with a ninth place overall finish.

Just after the race, an elated Dowsett proclaimed, “This is really good. The team was going from strength to strength with Jesse [Sergent] winning the prologue and Ben [King] in the young riders jersey. We haven’t had a race that we haven’t done well in so far this year. I’ve got a lot to thank the team for…a hell of a lot.”

Next up: the team looks to continue its slew of success performances in the three-stage Tour of Elk Grove!

Alex Dowsett wins Stage 5

Ben King Takes the White Jersey

Team Trek-LIVESTRONG had an all-around solid showing at Thursday’s Skyliner Road time trial, the second stage of the Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, Oregon.  Jesse Sergent, who won the yellow jersey on Tuesday’s Prologue, followed through with a second place finish, just fifteen seconds behind winner Ben Day.  Teammates Alex Dowsett, Nathan Brown, and Timothy Roe also finished in the top ten, securing the seventh, ninth, and tenth fastest times of the day, respectively.

The 25-kilometer time trial shook up the overall standings of the race, with Timothy Roe taking the lead of the young rider classification, and gaining the white jersey.  Roe is also currently the team’s highest ranked rider in the Classic, and is tied for seventh place overall, 1:38 behind the fastest time.  Teammate Ben King (USA) is close behind, just 1:59 back, and currently sits in tenth place.

Tomorrow the team will ride the Classic’s second mountain stage, the stage three Cascade Lakes road race, which spans 128 kilometers.  The team will look to build upon their prior success as they ride in the second half of the Cascade Cycling Classic.

Jesse Sergent

Tim Roe

Benjamin King (USA) took the white jersey yesterday in Stage 1 of the BMC Cascade Cycling Classic, representing his status as the best young rider in the race.  After the dreaded McKenzie Pass Stage, which one rider claimed to be one of the hardest in the U.S., King sits tied for fifth place, fourteen seconds back from leader Marc de Maar’s 2:58:50 finish. 

The 116-kilometer Stage One began with a fairly flat start, which became much more difficult with a 30-kilometer climb over McKenzie Pass halfway through the race.  King was part of a breakaway that pulled away just after the descent following the infamous climb, accompanied by six other riders.  King valiantly battled to stay with the pack for the last ascent up Three Kings Snow Park, finishing with a fast enough time to secure the white jersey.

Team Trek-LIVESTRONG remains in a great position moving forward in the Classic, with teammate Timothy Roe (AUS) finishing 31 seconds behind the yellow jersey.  Tomorrow the team tackles the 25.7 kilometer Skyliner’s Time Trial.

Benjamin King (USA)

Trek-LIVESTRONG teammates Jesse Sergent and Alex Dowsett flew through the 3.2-kilometer course of BMC Cascade Cycling Classic to win the first and second place finish, respectively.  The race was a close one, with only a half-second separating the top three finishes, Sergent’s continued improvement in time trialing enabled him to come out on top.

The 22-year-old New Zealander stated Tuesday after the race, “I’ve started to target the time trial more.  I didn’t know there was a time trial prologue here until about a week ago.  It was definitely something I wanted to go well in.  I wanted to get another one for the team being my last year as an U23 rider.”

Sergent will wear the yellow jersey today as Trek-LIVESTRONG takes on the infamous McKenzie Pass Road Race.

“Tomorrow we will see how it pans out,” said Sergent, “we have a lot of strong riders including Alex who just came off a win at the European champs.  It’s not just me.”

In addition to the great time trials by Sergent and Dowsett, the 2010 U23 European Time Trial Champion,  teammates Benjamin King (USA) and Nathan Brown finished 14th ( + :05.4) and 15th ( + :05.5) behind Sergent.

The BMC Cascades Cycling Classic continues in Bend, Oregon with Stage One, a 119-kilometers mountain stage. The six-day race concludes on Sunday with the 132-kilometer Awbrey Butte Circuit Race.

JESSE SERGENT

Trek-LIVESTRONG’s Jesse Sergent and Alex Dowsett swept the opening prologue of the 2010 Cascades Cycling Classic. Native New-Zealander Sergent finished first, while Dowsett (UK) finished second, after recently being  crowned U23 European Time Trial Champion.

Jesse Sergent (left) and Alex Dowsett (right)

First and second place finishes for Trek-LIVESTRONG