One by one the attacks came.
And one by one they failed.
Had an attack actually stuck, it likely wouldn't have mattered to the powerful Rock Racing team.
After all, Francisco Mancebo had worn the leader's yellow jersey at the Tour of Utah for four days and safely countered any previous attacks on it.
Sunday afternoon's 90-minute criterium around Washington and Library Squares was simply a game of patience for Mancebo and crew, and they worked hard to make sure the jersey was never truly threatened.
"The strategy was to be out front," Mancebo, a former Spanish national champion, said through an interpreter. "Just in case."
The only way Mancebo would not win the overall title was if he either crashed out of the final stage or if the few people within range to his overall time advantage jumped out in a breakaway.
But second-place rider Darren Lill and third-place Jeff Louder, the defending Tour of Utah champion, were far enough back to never attempt such a move.
Australian Bernie Sulzberger was the Stage 5 winner, pulling away from the field after taking the final turn on the four-corner course.
"I needed to be first into that corner," the Fly V Australia rider said. "I took the corner at a different angle ... and that's what gave me the advantage to win."
Rock Racing, down to just five riders after three had been pulled from the race after missing time cuts on previous stages, kept the pace at their liking by sending most of their crew to the front of the pack where they could control the race to a degree and also keep Mancebo free from the carnage that frequently happens in the more-congested middle pack.
The race was not without action, though.
David Zabriskie, racing solo and without the benefit of a team to support him, saw a pair of riders take off on an attack about 29 minutes into the race. He bridged the short gap, with Kelly Benefit Strategies rider David Veilleux on his wheel, and the foursome — which also included BMC's Brent Bookwalter and California Giant Berry's Justin England — pushed their gap to as much as 21 seconds over the field.
But the break was not to live as the peloton, paced by Rock Racing and OUCH/Maxxis, quickly closed things down in anticipation of a bunch sprint.
With 10 laps to go, the field surged, attacked and counter-attacked, but nothing serious happened.
But as the bell rang signaling the final lap, Louder took off and held a small lead on the field.
He was unable to hold it, though, and Sulzberger came around for the victory.
"I wanted to make a little charge," Louder said. "I was hoping I could hold it, but it just wasn't meant to be."
The day, clearly, was for Mancebo and Rock Racing to celebrate winning what is called "America's toughest stage race."
"It's a race that you have to be strong every day. You just can't rest," Mancebo said. "After I got in yellow, I was relaxed because I had a team that I knew could control the race."
Mancebo's 46-second advantage over Lill, a South African who calls Salt Lake City home during the racing season, held as did his 1:29 lead over Louder.
Alex Howes, the winner of Saturday's epic stage to Snowbird, was fourth, just 1:54 back.
Salt Lake City's Burke Swindlehurst was sixth and 2:18 back.
TOUR OF UTAH
Stage 5: 90-minute criterium, downtown Salt Lake City.
Winner: Bernie Sulzberger, Fly V Australia
Overall winner: Francisco Mancebo, Rock Racing.
2nd: Darren Lill, Team Type 1
3rd: Jeff Louder, BMC
Best Utah Rider: Darren Lill, Team Type 1
Best Young Rider: Alex Howes, Garmin/Felt-Holowesko
Best Sprinter: David Veilleux, Kelly Benefit Strategies
King of the Mountain: Alex Howes, Garmin/Felt-Holowesko
Best Overall Team: Rock Racing
e-mail: jeborn@desnews.com