Zion National Park provided a stunning
backdrop for the start of Stage 1 and the
2016 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah .
THE 2016 TOUR OF UTAH
CAPTURING THE MAGIC OF AMERICA’S TOUGHEST STAGE RACE
Australian Lachlan Morton of team Jelly Belly attacked on one
of the race’s most difficult climbs up Empire Pass to win Stage
7 and clinch the overall victory at the 2016 Larry H. Miller Tour
of Utah. Morton and the other professional cyclists endured
705 miles of racing and 52,825 vertical feet of climbing over
seven grueling days. The race finished in front of huge crowds
lining Historic Main Street in Park City.
This year’s event got off to a grand start, being the first major
cycling stage race in the United States to ride through a
national park. According to race organizers, riding through
Zion National Park was a “once-in-a-lifetime” event. Securing
permission required three years of negotiating political hurdles,
financial setbacks, and logistical issues which nearly deflated
any chance of the stage leaving the starting line.
“We’re pleasantly surprised
we were able to make it
happen,” said Jenn Andrs,
executive director for the
race. “We took the process
slowly and carefully.” Calling
it a once-in-a-lifetime event
isn’t just marketing lingo. Due
to the extensive planning and
concessions, Jenn does not
anticipate seeing Zion on the
schedule anytime soon.
The effort was more than
worth it. If you could gather
all the natural beauty and breathtaking vistas of Utah into
one location, you would have something like this year’s Stage
1 start. The images from that day, and the other six stages,
not only showcased a fantastic sporting event but included
photographic backdrops unrivaled anywhere else in the world.
For photographer Brent Asay, capturing that diversity is what
makes the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah unique among sporting
events. “It’s a challenge to showcase the beauty of the venue,
the energy of the race and the excitement of the fans all in one
shot…but it’s so much fun.”
Brent has a front-row seat at the Tour of Utah and many of the
other events owned or sponsored by the Larry H. Miller Group.
In addition to his full-time job as creative director for Miller
Automotive Operations, Brent is a staff photographer for the
Utah Jazz, the Salt Lake Bees, the
Salt Lake Stars, as well as Group
events, Miller family functions,
and charity events. In any given
issue of Winning Spirit Magazine,
a large percentage of the photos
were captured by Brent’s camera
and his creative eye.
Team Jelly Belly’s Lachlan Morton
arrives in Park City to the cheers of
the crowd as he captures the final
stage and the overall victory at the
2016 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.
(photo by Brent Asay)