Dombrowski to lead Cannondale-Drapac in Tour of Utah
After the biggest win of his career in the 2015 Tour of Utah, Joe Dombrowski will be back in the Beehive State to lead Cannondale-Drapac and to defend his title.
Dombrowski raced the Giro, where he fought for stage wins in the mountains on several occasions. After Tour of Utah and before Vuelta a Espana, he will take part in Leadville Trail 100 MTB, a hard race with mostly dirt double track and with a bit of trail mixed in.
“From a road schedule perspective, it’s certainly not a conventional run-in to the Vuelta. I wouldn’t say it’s not ideal, but in truth, it might not be,” he said.
The event marks a sharp difference for the roadie: in road racing from a young age, most details are sorted out for racers, like entries, tire selection, tire pressure, transit, what to eat… and it goes on. For Leadville, Dombrowski is having to consider some of these factors on his own.
“It’s a really unique challenge for me,” Dombrowski said. “As a professional road cyclist, I don’t do anything for myself. My bike is prepped, my soigneurs are in the feed zone, and all the logistics surrounding the race are taken care of. Here it’s like back in the old days going to junior mountain bike races with my dad. I’ve got to pick my gears, pump up my tires with help from my mechanic Tom Hopper, have my guy (purportedly Mr. Jonathan Vaughters) in the feed zone, and scarf down oatmeal at 4:30 a.m. to be ready to roll out at sunrise. It’s a lot to take on, but I’m up for the challenge. Don’t forget to have a bit of fun in your career!”
