Meet the Tour of the Depot
April 5, 2011“My experience with Tour of the Depot has always been extremely positive; it never lends to the specialist, but rather the best rounded and strongest rider. It has been one of the best managed and attended races in Utah since its inception, and I expect to see that continuing for years to come.” – Bradley Gehrig (Jamis-Sutter Home)
The Tour of the Depot Stage Race, now in its 4th edition, is a local favorite located out of Tooele, UT which is 35 miles west of Salt Lake City. Run through picturesque Tooele Valley directly south of the Great Salt Lake, the event skirts the Tooele Army Depot, the largest employer in the valley and a major feature in the landscape. With the city of Tooele lying on a slope, there is very little flat terrain throughout all stages of the event.
New for 2011, the Road Race start and finish has moved a few miles south to small community of Stockton, UT, which was Utah’s first mining town founded almost 150 years ago. The Men’s race gets to enjoy the challenge of traversing the Stansbury Mountains on the west side of the valley over Johnson’s Pass, which was part of the original transcontinental Lincoln Highway of the early 1900s. From the summit, the men drop down into Skull Valley and get to experience the vast desolation of the west desert, before returning back over the pass and continuing onto the finish.
The Time Trial and Circuit Race both take place in the foothills of the Oquirrh Mountain on the east edge of the valley, providing challenging and fast courses that allows the top competitors to show off their skills and separate themselves from the pack.
The level of competition has continued to grow as the event has progressed, and being part of the 2011 Nature Valley Pro Ride will help to take it to a new level.
