SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (November 10, 2011) – The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah professional cycling event will return for a eighth year of competition next year, August 7-12, 2012. The Tour of Utah will continue for a second season as a top-rated, international stage race, designated 2.1 by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Race organizers will launch a new corporate platform for next season, working closely with several agencies.

“2011 was a phenomenal year for us. We enjoyed positive impact from all facets of the event – the elevated UCI designation, a world-class field of pro teams, a record number of corporate partners and record attendance for race week. We want to continue the growth of our event. The Tour of Utah is not only a world stage to showcase professional athletes, but it is becoming a world stage to showcase our sponsors and partners,” said Steve Miller, president of the Utah Cycling Partnership which owns the Tour of Utah.

The Tour of Utah has signed two Utah-based companies, TWIO Brand and Saxton l Horne Advertising, to build on the growing success of the event and generate a new visual identity and brand strategy. Saxton l Horne Advertising will focus on re-launching a new website for the Tour. TWIO Brand will develop a refreshed brand identity for the Tour, and will provide marketing support. Both agencies will rely on survey data compiled from athletes, spectators and sponsors for the introduction of a new look and feel for the Tour of Utah in 2012.

Returning agencies for next year include Medalist Sports, which oversees competition management and technical production for the Tour, and Peloton Sports, which manages media and public relations. Karen Weiss, who served as the executive director for the Tour since 2008, has asked to move into an advisory role with the Tour so that she can focus on her family. Miller will continue as the president of the Tour, with a focus on sponsorship sales. He confirmed that bids are currently being reviewed for 2012 host venues.

In just seven years, the race has gone from a three-day race for individuals and regional teams to a six-day race for professional teams with national television coverage and live webcasting for a worldwide audience. This year’s Tour of Utah set an attendance record with an estimated 225,000 spectators across the six days of competition. The 2011 event covered 409-miles of diverse and mountainous terrain over six days, which included a prologue and five stages. Five of this year’s 16 professional teams competed at the Tour de France, including Team RadioShack, which featured champion Levi Leipheimer. In 2012, the Tour of Utah will be one of four top stage races in the U.S. having a 2.1 or 2.HC rating from the UCI ; the four events are Amgen Tour of California (2.HC), Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove (2.1), Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah (2.1) and USA Pro Cycling Challenge (2.HC).

The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah continues to be free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique pro sports in the world today. The 2011 Host Venues included Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Ogden, Provo, Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Salt Lake City and Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort. More information about the Tour of Utah and its partners can be found by visitingwww.tourofutah.com, with updates on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

About the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
Deemed “America’s Toughest Stage RaceTM,” the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is a six-day, professional bicycle stage race along the Rocky Mountain’s Wasatch Range. It covers over 400 miles of racing through some of Utah’s most beautiful and challenging terrain. Now in its eighth year of racing, the 2012 Tour of Utah is scheduled to take place August 7-12 as a UCI 2.1 sanctioned stage race for the best professional cyclists in the world. The event is owned and operated by the Utah Cycling Partnership. Official Partners of the 2011 included the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), the Utah Office of Tourism, an agency of GOED, the Utah Sports Commission and Zions Bank. Stage Sponsors of the 2011 Tour of Utah included: Prologue presented by KJZZ TV and 1320 KFAN (Utah Olympic Park in Park City), Stage One presented by Miller Lite (Ogden), Stage Two presented by Adobe (start at XANGO/finish in Provo), Stage Three presented by UnitedHealthcare (Miller Motorsports Park), Stage Four presented by University of Utah Health Care (Salt Lake City), and Stage Five presented by Zions Bank (Park City to Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort).

About TWIO Brand
TWIO Brand is a Utah-based brand strategy and digital marketing firm, with a nationwide clientele. Services include brand business and brand strategy, research, corporate visual and verbal identity, digital marketing and design.Web services include web design, website content management systems, e-commerce and online business application development.

About Saxton l Horne Advertising
Saxton | Horne Advertising is a full-service agency, offering strategic marketing and media buying services, as well as creative executions for all media. We specialize in creative retail advertising, which, simply stated, means the media plans we put together with the ads we create have one objective in mind: To Sell – to make your phone ring and the cash register sing. It’s what we call “spark.”