August 07, 2015 (Salt Lake City, Utah) —  Canada’s Michael Woods of Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies climbed into the overall lead Friday at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah with a win on Stage 5 presented by Utah Sports Commission. Woods claimed the biggest win of his career in the shadow of the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City, giving his team back-to-back victories at the “America’s Toughest Stage Race.”

In the final 100-meter sprint of the difficult 55-mile circuit race, Woods put in a massive acceleration that no one could match to cross the line in a time of two hours and three minutes. Sonny Colbrelli (Italy) of Bardiani-CSF and Stage 1 winner Kiel Reijnen (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team finished two seconds behind the Canadian, taking second and third place respectively.

“Going into that final climb, I tried to be in the best position as possible, just steady pace for as long as possible until I hit it out. It was a tough last 200 meters, but I managed to hold the rest of the peloton off,” Woods said. “It’s the biggest win of my career, it was a surreal moment for sure. I couldn’t believe it.”

The stage win for Woods put him in the Larry H. Miller Dealerships overall leader’s jersey, with a four-second advantage on the general classification over Brent Bookwalter (USA) of BMC Racing Team. Previous G.C. race leader Jure Kocjan (Slovenia) of Team SmartStop dropped to third place overall, just five seconds down. Reijnen, who wears the Utah Sports Commission Sprinter leader’s jersey, sits in fourth spot on G.C.

“I didn’t expect to be in yellow (jersey) going into the stage tomorrow. I thought I’d be trying to get into yellow on Saturday, but you can never plan for these things and you always want to seize a win when you get that opportunity,” added Woods, who is racing in his first Tour of Utah. “I put a big ‘x’ on the calendar when we got the invite to this race just because it really does suit my skill set.”

Stage 5 presented by Utah Sports Commission revived the popular Salt Lake City circuit and added a new climb with 15-percent gradients up Wall Street and Zane Avenue along the north side of the capitol complex. Nerves were evident as the 116 riders lined up for the start of this fast, technical race, making seven laps of an eight-mile circuit. A group of eight escaped immediately, but Team SmartStop controlled the pace to keep the breakaway close.

The fight for positioning at the front was evident on each of the seven laps before the field turned right on 600 North and ascended the final climb to the finish. The final solo breakaway, Songezo Jim (South Africa) of MTN-Qhubeka presented by Samsung, was re-absorbed on the final lap. Woods covered attacks from Reijnen, Kocjan and Dion Smith (New Zealand) of Hincapie Racing Team before getting out of the saddle with 150 meters to go to take an emphatic victory.

Finishing 14th on the stage and sitting fifth overall, Smith of Hincapie Racing Team captured the Subaru Best Young Rider jersey. Jim, who launched a final attack from the break, was awarded the Vivint Most Aggressive Rider jersey. Fans selected Taylor Phinney (USA) of BMC Racing Team as the America First Credit Union Fan Favorite in the Most Inspiring Comeback from Adversity category.

Results

1. Michael Woods (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 2:03:50
2. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:02
3. Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
4. Daniel Mart’nez (Col) Colombia 0:04
5. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team
6. Leonardo Basso (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
7. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
8. Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing 0:07
9. Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
10. Brendan Canty (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 0:09
11. Christopher Horner (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team
12. Robbie Squire (USA) Hincapie Racing Team
13. Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team SmartStop
14. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Racing Team
15. Edwin Avila (Col) Colombia 0:12
16. James Oram (Nzl) Axeon Cycling Team 0:13
17. Lachlan Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
18. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Gbr) Axeon Cycling Team 0:15
19. Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:17
20. Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team SmartStop
21. Walter Pedraza (Col) Colombia 0:19
22. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
23. Gavin Mannion (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
24. Jorge Castiblanco (Col) Colombia 0:22
25. Cayetano Sarmiento (Col) Colombia
26. Natnael Berhane (Eri) MTN – Qhubeka 0:26
27. Connor McCutcheon (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team
28. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
29. Gregory Brenes Obando (Crc) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
30. Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
31. Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
32. Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team
33. John Hornbeck (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:30
34. Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
35. Manuel Francesco Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:34
36. Chris Butler (USA) Team SmartStop
37. Carlos Mario Ramirez (Col) Colombia 0:41
38. Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF
39. Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:44
40. Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN – Qhubeka
41. Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN – Qhubeka
42. Julian Bernard (Fra) Trek Factory Racing 0:46
43. Nicolae Tanovitchii (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
44. Alexandr Braico (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
45. Rob Britton (Can) Team SmartStop 0:52
46. Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop 0:55
47. Griffin Easter (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team 1:00
48. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka 1:02
49. Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani CSF 1:03
50. Robin Carpenter (USA) Hincapie Racing Team
51. Timothy Roe (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
52. Michael Schur (Sui) BMC Racing Team
53. Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team 1:06
54. Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
55. Benjamin King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
56. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
57. Jasper Bovenhuis (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
58. Erik Slack (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 1:28
59. Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF
60. Luca Chirico (Ita) Bardiani CSF
61. Jack Anderson (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 1:39
62. Sebasti‡n Molano (Col) Colombia 1:43
63. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home 1:45
64. Luis Lemus (Mex) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team
65. Ben Jacques- Maynes (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home 1:48
66. Daniel Eaton (USA) Axeon Cycling Team 1:50
67. Michael Torckler (Nzl) Team Budget Forklifts
68. Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka 1:56
69. John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 2:09
70. Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Cycling Team 2:12
71. Brodie Talbot (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 2:17
72. Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 2:19
73. Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 2:22
74. Simone Andreetta (Ita) Bardiani CSF 2:40
75. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 2:44
76. Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 3:19
77. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
78. Steve Fisher (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
79. Justin Mauch (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team 3:35
80. David Williams (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home 3:37
81. Emerson Oronte (USA) Team SmartStop 3:49
82. Cullen Easter (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team 4:08
83. Calvin Watson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing 4:42
84. Kilian Frankiny (Irl) BMC Racing Team
85. Edward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
86. Walter Gaston Trillini (Arg) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
87. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
88. Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
89. Andrea Manfredi (Ita) Bardiani CSF
90. Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
91. Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Racing Team
92. Matthew Brammeier (Irl) MTN – Qhubeka 4:47
93. Songezo Jim (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka
94. Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 4:51
95. Samuel Spokes (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 5:25
96. Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team 5:29
97. Fabio Silvestre (Por) Trek Factory Racing 5:33
98. Zachary Bell (Can) Team SmartStop
99. Joseph Schmalz (USA) Hincapie Racing Team
100. Mackenzie Brennan (USA) Hincapie Racing Team
101. Pierrick Naud (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
102. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
103. Kevin Gottlieb (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team
104. Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 5:37
105. Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
106. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 5:54
107. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 6:21
108. Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
109. Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 6:22
110. Graeme Brown (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 7:29
111. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) MTN – Qhubeka
112. Josh Berry (Nzl) Team Budget Forklifts 9:32
113. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 9:34
114. Brad Huff (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:16:10
DNS Alex Cano (Col) Colombia

GC after Stage 5

1. Michael Woods (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 19:50:50
2. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:04
3. Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team SmartStop 0:05
4. Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:07
5. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Racing Team 0:09
6. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team 0:14
7. Leonardo Basso (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
8. Daniel Mart’nez (Col) Colombia
9. Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:15
10. Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing 0:17
11. Christopher Horner (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team 0:19
12. Robbie Squire (USA) Hincapie Racing Team
13. James Oram (Nzl) Axeon Cycling Team 0:23
14. Lachlan Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
15. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Gbr) Axeon Cycling Team 0:25
16. Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Cycling Team 0:26
17. Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team SmartStop 0:27
18. Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
19. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:29
20. Walter Pedraza (Col) Colombia
21. Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:30
22. Edwin Avila (Col) Colombia 0:31
23. Jorge Castiblanco (Col) Colombia 0:32
24. Natnael Berhane (Eri) MTN – Qhubeka 0:36
25. Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
26. Connor McCutcheon (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team
27. Gregory Brenes Obando (Crc) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
28. John Hornbeck (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:40
29. Chris Butler (USA) Team SmartStop 0:44
30. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
31. Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:48
32. Robin Carpenter (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 1:01
33. Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop
34. Rob Britton (Can) Team SmartStop 1:02
35. Gavin Mannion (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 1:38
36. Michael Schur (Sui) BMC Racing Team 2:12
37. Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF 2:16
38. Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF 2:20
39. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF 2:22
40. Brendan Canty (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 2:35
41. Cayetano Sarmiento (Col) Colombia 2:48
42. Manuel Francesco Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani CSF 3:00
43. Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 3:10
44. Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team 3:49
45. Alexandr Braico (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 4:38
46. Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 4:47
47. Kilian Frankiny (Irl) BMC Racing Team 5:20
48. Nicolae Tanovitchii (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 5:43
49. Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN – Qhubeka 5:49
50. Luca Chirico (Ita) Bardiani CSF 5:51
51. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home 5:56
52. Timothy Roe (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 6:03
53. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka 6:44
54. Ben Jacques- Maynes (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home 7:07
55. Julian Bernard (Fra) Trek Factory Racing 7:34
56. Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 7:57
57. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team 8:39
58. Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 9:43
59. Benjamin King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 9:57
60. Carlos Mario Ramirez (Col) Colombia 0:10:08
61. Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN – Qhubeka 0:11:39
62. Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home 0:11:47
63. Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka 0:11:55
64. Daniel Eaton (USA) Axeon Cycling Team 0:12:03
65. Griffin Easter (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team 0:12:27
66. Jasper Bovenhuis (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:13:02
67. Luis Lemus (Mex) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team 0:13:17
68. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 0:13:26
69. Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Cycling Team 0:13:28
70. Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:14:26
71. Sebasti‡n Molano (Col) Colombia 0:14:31
72. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home 0:16:19
73. Edward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:16:38
74. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:16:50
75. Joseph Schmalz (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:16:56
76. Steve Fisher (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:18:04
77. Erik Slack (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:18:27
78. Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:18:33
79. Songezo Jim (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka 0:19:03
80. Jack Anderson (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 0:19:07
81. Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:19:23
82. Emerson Oronte (USA) Team SmartStop 0:20:01
83. Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:20:29
84. John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:21:07
85. Walter Gaston Trillini (Arg) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home 0:21:30
86. Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:22:59
87. Matthew Brammeier (Irl) MTN – Qhubeka 0:23:23
88. Calvin Watson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing 0:23:31
89. Fabio Silvestre (Por) Trek Factory Racing 0:23:42
90. Pierrick Naud (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:24:02
91. Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:25:09
92. David Williams (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home 0:25:55
93. Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:26:38
94. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:27:07
95. Mackenzie Brennan (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:28:26
96. Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:29:49
97. Cullen Easter (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team 0:29:50
98. Brodie Talbot (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 0:30:42
99. Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:30:58
100. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:31:31
101. Michael Torckler (Nzl) Team Budget Forklifts 0:31:52
102. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) MTN – Qhubeka 0:32:16
103. Josh Berry (Nzl) Team Budget Forklifts 0:33:03
104. Zachary Bell (Can) Team SmartStop 0:38:27
105. Justin Mauch (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team 0:39:23
106. Simone Andreetta (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:39:47
107. Samuel Spokes (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:40:59
108. Andrea Manfredi (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:47:08
109. Kevin Gottlieb (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team 0:51:34
110. Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 0:58:09
111. Graeme Brown (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling 0:58:47
112. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:04:06
113. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 1:10:20