Tour of Utah hoping to move back another week next year

The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah will return for 2019 with tentative dates of August 12-18, moving back another week on the calendar after a similar move this year. The race is still waiting for UCI approval of the date change.

If approved, the change would also affect the Colorado Classic, which this year runs the week after Utah.

"We're just looking at how the calendar is lining up, and those are the dates we were told are going to be open," Tour of Utah Executive Manager John Kimball told Cyclingnews following the final press conference on Sunday. "So, again, we'll wait to hear from them so we can make that an official call."

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The 2018 Tour of Utah moved back a week in the calendar in hopes of attracting more WorldTour teams after division 1 participation slipped to just one team in 2017 from a high of six in 2014. With new dates this year, the race attracted five WorldTour teams. More distance from the Tour de France might allow more teams to consider the race.

"We really hope so," Kimball said. "We love having the race open like this and being in the division we're at because we love to see young riders from all the different categories competing against the top guys. As many WorldTour teams as we can attract is fantastic.

"We hope the further away it makes it a little easier and it lets them prepare for the Vuelta and other things," Kimball said, "but it's fantastic to hear that they love to come to Utah."

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com