LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah (AP) — Johann Tschopp emerged after a successful attack over the final miles to win the fifth stage of the Tour of Utah, and take the overall lead Saturday.
The Swiss rider finished the 102-mile stage in 4 hours, 18 minutes, 19 seconds.
The Czech Republic's Leopold Koenig finished second, 44 seconds behind. American Joseph Dombrowski was third, 48 seconds behind Tschopp.
All three cyclists were part of a small attack initiated by two-time defending Tour of Utah champion Levi Leipheimer over the final three miles through Little Cottonwood Canyon. The attack occurred on the final climb in a stage that featured 12,139 vertical feet of climbing.
Tschopp also claimed his first career yellow jersey after unseating U.S. rider Christian Vandevelde as the overall leader with a cumulative time of 18:18.49. Vandevelde was 38 seconds behind Tschopp.
U.S. rider Matthew Busche climbed to third, 43 seconds back. Koening and Dombrowski also are less than a minute behind Tschopp for the overall lead.
The sixth and final stage Sunday will feature a 76.8-mile course that starts and ends in Park City and loops through Summit and Wasatch counties.
