SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (April 19, 2018) – The Sprint to the Finish Activity Book returns for a sixth edition to promote healthy lifestyles for elementary-aged children. The 32-page, full-color book is a collaborative effort by organizers of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and event partner University of Utah Health. More than 50,000 free copies will be distributed in April to schools and youth organizations across Utah in the communities which will host a stage of the professional cycling event this summer from Aug. 6-12. An online version in PDF format is available for download at tourofutah.com.
The sport of cycling is used to illustrate lesson plans on geography, nutrition, safety and vocabulary. Children take an adventure across Utah with cartoon characters Mike and his friend Lucille, made popular in the Mike and The Bike children’s book series. The two characters explore the nine communities which will host the 2018 Tour of Utah, from St. George and Cedar City in the south to Salt Lake City and Park City in the north.
Photography and content also feature three professional cyclists who have competed in the race, including 2017 Tour of Utah champion Rob Britton (Alberta, Canada), who rides for Rally Cycling. Content for the booklet was also provided by two stage winners from the 2017 race — Brent Bookwalter (Rockford, Mich.) of the BMC Racing Team, who won Stage 2, and Travis McCabe (Prescott, Ariz.) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, who won Stage 5.
“There’s no question, winning last year’s Tour of Utah was the biggest result of my career and one of the best days of my life. The race really does mean a lot to me,” said Rally Cycling’s Britton, who was happy to provide his insights for the activity booklet and encourage children to be more active. “When I was younger, I was never any good at racing a bike. In fact, I was horrible! I loved RIDING my bike though, and I rode it a lot. Eventually, that passion has turned into a great career, and still to this day, I’m reminded of how amazing a simple bicycle is and where it can take you (both physically and mentally), no matter what the age. I’ve seen the world because I love to ride my bike.”
During race week of the Tour of Utah, children ages five to 12 can demonstrate pedal power and safe cycling skills in six locations for the Sprint to the Finish youth bicycle races. Complimentary registration is available at the University of Utah Health information tent in the KUTV 2 Healthy Living Expo during race week. Races will be held at six venues, using a section of the Tour of Utah race course. All participating children are required to bring their own bicycles and helmets. Details about expo locations, start/finish areas and race times will be available on the Tour of Utah website.
Sprint to the Finish Locations
- Monday, Aug. 6 — St. George
- Tuesday, Aug. 7 — Cedar City
- Wednesday, Aug. 8 — Payson City
- Thursday, Aug. 9 — Layton City
- Friday, Aug. 10 — Salt Lake City
- Sunday, Aug. 12 — Park City
The Tour of Utah remains a 2.HC-rated stage race on the UCI America Tour, making it one of the premier events for professional cycling teams in North America. It is also one of the prominent road cycling events that is part of USA Cycling’s Professional Road Tour. The Tour of Utah will start on Aug. 6 in St. George for the first time with a prologue, and conclude seven days later in Park City. Additional host venues are Cedar City, Payson City, Antelope Island State Park, Layton City, Salt Lake City, Canyons Village, and Snowbird Resort.
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique professional sports in the world today. The Tour of Utah is sanctioned by the UCI and part of the USA Cycling Professional Road Tour. More information about the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com, as well as social channels Facebook (tourofutah), Twitter (tourofutah), Instagram (thetourofutah) and YouTube(Tour of Utah).
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About the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, referred to as “America’s Toughest Stage RaceTM,” is a week-long, professional cycling stage race for the best men’s teams in the world. The 2018 event will be held Aug. 6-12. Now in its 14th year, the event was elevated in 2015 as a 2.HC-rated UCI stage race, making it one of the premier events in North America. The 2017 Tour of Utah covered 605 miles of racing and 36,525 feet of climbing with Rob Britton of Rally Cycling winning the overall title. The Tour of Utah is owned by Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment. More information about the Tour of Utah, host venues and professional teams can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com, as well as social channels Facebook (tourofutah), Twitter (tourofutah), Instagram (thetourofutah) and YouTube (Tour of Utah).
Media Contact
Jackie Tyson, Media Relations Manager, Tour of Utah
TourofUtahPR@pelotonsports.net, 678.362.6228
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