Stage 3 started at Antelope Island State Park, went through North Ogden and up the North Ogden Divide (first King of the Mountain on this stage) to Eden, past Pineview Reservoir, over Trapper's Loop (second KOM) and on to Bountiful. I had seen on a map that the race started with a short loop on Antelope Island that circled past the visitor center, campground and an area where bison often hang out. So my plan was to find some bison and position myself to shoot photos of the racers with bison in the background. Then I would head to Trapper's Loop for some downhill action.
When I arrived at Antelope Island at 7 a.m., three hours before the race start, the security guy told me to park in the parking lot near the start line. I asked if I could go to the picnic area at the top of the loop. He said the race wasn't going up there. I said that I thought I'd seen on a map that that it did. He said, "No, it starts here and goes right over the causeway." Ok. So I parked and positioned myself smack in front of the starting line, where the riders would come right at me and make a hard left turn to head for the causeway.
We knew the race was about to start when all the Utah Highway Patrol troopers, sheriffs and other law enforcement showed up on their motorcycles and in cars.
The morning started with the National Guard firing off a canon.
Each team had eight riders plus two support cars.
They also had a variety of motorhomes.
I guess you would call this prerace entertainment. A couple of announcers yammered on about the race and the racers. Each rider also had to go on stage and sign in on a large board. Several of the more popular racers were interviewed. Wish I knew who this popular guy was. Especially since I may have one of his discarded UHC water bottles.
The only name I recognized from previous Tour de France races was Frank Schleck, who rides for Trek. He was banned from racing for a couple of years due to a controversial doping test result. He then injured his knee, which kept him out of France this year. He's using the Tour of Utah to help get back in shape for Vuelta a España.
I saw a lot of different brands of bikes (not all shown here). A lot of Cipollinis, but no Pinarellos.
You'll notice the riders are lining up facing the wrong direction. They're supposed to race toward me and make a hard left turn to the causeway. That's because they're lining to go up the hill and around the loop the security dummy told me they were not going around. Oh, well. The announcer said most of the 500 bison are hanging out on the south end of the island, so maybe I wouldn't have gotten the photo I wanted anyway. But still.
And the race is off.
The racers are coming down from the bison loop, past the start line and onto the causeway.
This is the peloton. Actually, at this point, everyone is still in the peloton.
On to Trapper's Loop. This is my view for the next hour or so while I wait for the race to get here.
Someone from Hill Air Force Base did a flyover.
The police escorts are showing up to close this part of the highway, so the racers must be coming soon.
Here are the six breakaway leaders. They already crested the North Ogden Divide and just crested Trapper's Loop about a quarter mile back.
And four or five minutes behind them is the peloton.
No chasers and no one left behind. Just one nice breakaway and one tight peloton. The ride to Bountiful will be interesting with the racers this close, but I don't have time to get to Bountiful quickly enough to find parking and make my way to the finish.
The rest of the peloton.
And the support vehicles. After they pass, the road will be open to other motorized vehicles.
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