August 4, 2015 (Ogden, UT) – Team SmartStop’s Jure Kocjan (Slovenia) timed his sprint perfectly to win Stage 2 presented by Workers Compensation Fund at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. Emerging from a reduced peloton, Kocjan, who wore the leader’s jersey for two stages in last year’s race, finished the stage in a time of three hours, 37 minutes and 27 seconds at the finish line on historic 25th Street in Ogden.

A bike length separated Kocjan from second-place Robin Carpenter (USA) of Hincapie Racing Team and Brent Bookwalter (USA) of BMC Racing Team in third.

“We were really disappointed yesterday. After dinner I just went to my room and stayed there and just thought about today. I was super-motivated and angry and I knew that I had to make it over this climb,” said Kocjan, who was the last rider in the breakaway to make it over the North Ogden Divide with less than 20 miles to go in the stage.

“But I made it over and once we came down, I looked back and saw that we had a big gap like 50 seconds. So I just told the guys, my teammates, go as hard as you can. I knew that there were not a lot of good sprinters in the front. I knew that if we made it to the end, I was probably the fastest one,” added Kocjan, who finished second on three stages last year in Utah.

Carpenter agreed that the climb was the decisive point of Tuesday’s stage. “If you can make it over that, then the race is yours to play with. It’s a short climb. It’s steep so if you can hold on to the power and make sure you’re in good position, then it’s not too hard to go over it.”

Overall race leader Kiel Reijnen (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team retained his Larry H. Miller Dealerships Leader’s yellow jersey by finishing fourth on the 100.3-mile stage. Alex Howes (USA) of Can nondale-Garmin Pro Cycling remained second overall by finishing with the same time as Kocjan, who sits in third place overall. Carpenter vaulted to fourth in the General Classification and takes over the Subaru Best Young Rider jersey.

Blue skies and warm weather greeted the 121 racers at the start of Stage 2 presented by Workers Compensation Fund in the first-time host city of Tremonton. After a flurry of attacks at the front early in the stage, Jay Robert Thomson (South Africa) of MTN-Qhubeka presented by Samsung managed to escape solo on a flag-lined road in Thatcher with a chase group bridging up to him 10 miles later. Joining Thomson at the front were Dan Eaton (USA) of Axeon Cycling Team, Pierrick Naud (Canada) of Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies, Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) of Jamis-Hagens Berman presented by Sutter Home, and Mackenzie Brennan (USA) of Hincapie Racing Team.

The five-rider break worked together to expand the gap on the wide, rural roads of Box Elder County, including the famous Fruit Highway (Hwy 89) before rolling along the Wasatch Front through Honeyville, Brigham City, Perry and Willard.

The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team controlled the pace at the front of the peloton, holding the gap around the three-minute mark. Thomson took the two Utah Sports Commission Sprint Lines and moved up to fifth place in the general classification with the bonus time.

The lone Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain climb brought a quickening of the pace, reducing the gap to under two minutes on the lower slopes of the North Ogden Divide. The tough 10 percent average gradient proved too much for most of the riders on the break except for Eaton who crested first. Joined by Bookwalter, they sped down toward Ogden, averaging close to 60 miles per hour. The field also split on the climb, with most of the sprinters not able to follow the punishing pace.

The duo was reeled back by the 46-rider field as they approached the first of three 2.28-mile finishing laps in front of enthusiastic crowds in downtown Ogden. Attacks flew as no team was able to organize its leadout train until the bell lap, which brought Kocjan’s teammate Travis McCabe (USA) to the front. In the final straightway to the finish, McCabe swung out to force Bookwalter to open his sprint early, giving Kocjan a perfect trajectory to the line.

Eaton was awarded the Vivint Most Aggressive Rider jersey and fans have chosen Chris Horner (USA) of the Airgas Safeway Cycling Team as the America First Credit Union Fan Favorite.

Results

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