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Next month's Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah cycling race has secured official sponsorship support from Utah's governmental ranks.

The Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) and one of its agencies, the Utah Office of Tourism, have teamed up with the quasi-governmental Utah Sports Commission to help sponsor the event, which runs Aug. 9 to 14 in northern Utah. Each will contribute $100,000.

University of Utah Health Care, Zions Bank, XO Communications and Subaru are among 41 other sponsors.

GOED became involved, said Executive Director Spencer Eccles, because the event "demonstrates that Utah is a premier global business and tourist destination, and that the state continues to be recognized for its ability to handle world-class professional sporting events."

For the Office of Tourism, "the professional bike race is a great opportunity to raise the awareness of Utah and showcase our beautiful scenery to a worldwide audience," said Managing Director Leigh von der Esch.

And Utah Sports Commission President and CEO Jeff Robbins sees the Tour of Utah as the type of event his organization was designed to support when created by the Utah Legislature to carry on the Olympic legacy of Utah staging national and international sports competitions.

"It's terrific playing host to one of the top cycling events in the world this year, certainly in the United States," he added. "It's a great fit for the state. The cities the event will go through and the state's landscape and beauty will be shown on TV, providing significant economic impacts and image building."

For their investments, the state agencies' brands will be visible on the event's website — http://www.tourofutah.com/tour/sponsors — as well as the official program guide, a pocket-map guide, promotional posters and fliers.

In addition, Tourism Office spokeswoman Tracie Cayford said, signs bearing the state's "Utah Life Elevated" logo will be on course-side fencing, in hospitality areas and on the sleeves of award jerseys presented to daily classification leaders. The Sports Commission's logo also will appear on those jerseys.

GOED will be recognized during a team presentation event on opening night and at the closing party, Cayford said, while a traveling Tourism Office booth will go to various race venues.

Those venues include Salt Lake City, Ogden, Utah Olympic Park near Park City, the Provo headquarters of juicemaker Xango and home automation system developer Vivint, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, and Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele.

mikeg@sltrib.comTwitter: @sltribmikeg —

Tour of Utah

The seventh annual bike race, Aug. 9-14 in northern Utah, will attract some of the world's top cycling teams, including five competing in the Tour de France.