By Jessica Parcell | [email protected]

A crowd of people lining the side of Redwood Road cheer ahead of an oncoming swarm of cyclists, signaling the beginning of one of the most prestigious cycling events in the world.

The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is in its 13th year; however, this is the first year that South Jordan has hosted both the start and finish of a stage.

Frank Zang, spokesperson for the Tour of Utah, said the race started as a three-day weekend event down at Thanksgiving Point for recreational riders but has seen quite the transformation over the past decade.

“Now in its 13th edition, it’s formed into this international, world-class, seven-day men’s professional stage race,” Zang said, “Tour of Utah has the highest ranking among international races and is really [one of] the few races that occurs in North America.”

Zang said this is a great opportunity that South Jordan, and Utah as a state, had to bring world-class cycling to the people that live here.

South Jordan Public Information Officer Tina Brown said they have never hosted a cycling race of this magnitude in their city.

“This is new and unique and really exciting for us,” Brown said.

The Tour of Utah now ranks up among one of the most prestigious touring events, next to the Tour de France. Zang said more than 26 countries make up the members of the 16 teams that compete in this annual event.

One of America’s own, John Murphy of the Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team, sprinted past the finish line coming in first for Stage 4 of Tour of Utah. Murphy said his team pulled in front in the last 3 kilometers but knew the finish line was still a ways out.

“A little hole opened up in the last 150 meters, and I was able to get through it and do my sprint,” Murphy said. “I’m super happy to win at Utah.”

The 10-year veteran in the pro peloton said his team gambled in Stage 4 after teammate Ty Magner took the yellow jersey—designating him as overall leader in the race—in Stage 1.

“We were very happy already with Stage 1 with Ty and the yellow jersey,” Murphy said. “That’s why you didn’t see us take control.”