Tour of Utah, stage 5.

Johann Tschopp (BMC) won the 165km stage 5 of the Tour of Utah, crossing the line 43 seconds ahead of Leopold Koenig (Team Netapp) and 47 seconds ahead of Joseph Dombrowski (Bontrager Livestrong Team).

Ben King (RadioShack-Nissan), Valerio Agnoli (Liquigas-Cannondale), Jeff Louder (UnitedHealthcare), Chris Barton (Bissell Pro Cycling) and Jesse Anthony (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies) formed the break of the day and gained 4:45 by the foot of the Alpine Loop climb, 88km into the stage.  Francisco Mancebo (Competitive Cyclist) attacked from the peloton and made contact with the break – he passed Barton, who had been dropped halfway up the climb.  A chase group formed behind the break: Michael Scharr (BMC), Tom Slagter (Rabobank), Timmy Duggan (Liquigas-Cannondale), Caleb Fairly (Champion System), and Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) held a 1:40 lead over the peloton, and were 1:30 behind the day’s break.  They made contact with the break on the descent of the Suncrest climb – Fairly crashed out of the group.  They now had a 1:55 advantage of the peloton with 20km remaining.  The break eventually shattered at the bottom of the last climb, and Peter Stetina (Garmin-Sharp) with teammates Tom Danielson and Christian Vande Velde, Chris Horner (RadioShack-Nissan), Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-Quickstep), Tschopp, Joe Dombrowski (Bontrager-Livestrong) and teammate Ian Boswell now rode at the front of the race.  Tschopp opened up his attack – Leipheimer chased with several riders from the front.

Tschopp now leads in the GC, 38 ahead of Vande Velde and 43 ahead of Matthew Busche (Radioshack-Nissan).

Top photo from SteepHill, profile from Tour of Utah.