Ride the Rockies last stopped in Durango during the 2017 edition that began in Alamosa and finished in Salida.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re happy they chose us, and that change \u2013 I can\u2019t say it enough \u2013 that loop concept is really good for Durango,\u201d said Tim Walsworth, executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement District and co-chairman of the local organizing committee. \u201cThere will be three or four nights that each rider, and other people with them, will be in our town one way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n Since 1986, Ride the Rockies has served as a benefit for The Denver Post<\/em> Community Foundation, which supports nonprofit organizations throughout Colorado. This year\u2019s Ride the Rockies route will include Cortez, Norwood and Ouray County as host locations. Norwood will be a first-time host town for the event.<\/p>\n \u201cFor 35 years, Ride the Rockies has showcased some of the best places to visit, quaint back-road towns, beautiful mountains passes and iconic landscapes,\u201d tour director Deirdre Moynihan said in a news release. \u201cThis year is no different. We are thrilled to welcome Norwood as a new host community and taking riders to a new place we haven\u2019t experienced as a tour.\u201d<\/p>\n Durango will play host to the prologue, the entire first day of riding; will be the starting point for the second day; and will serve as the final destination of the weeklong event.<\/p>\n With the ride diving deep into the San Juan Mountains, it will bring an added boost to the already busy June tourism season. According to a news release, the economic impact of Ride the Rockies is an estimated $250,000 for local businesses in each host community each day of the tour. The Denver Post<\/em> Community Foundation also awards a $3,000 grant to a nonprofit in each host town.<\/p>\n Because some riders could spend three to five days in Durango, local businesses could see a massive economic impact. Walsworth said the goal is to get riders, their families and support personnel into local restaurants, breweries, hotels and other businesses. And, because the ride is a loop, some riders\u2019 families may opt to stay in Durango for the entire week of the event instead of traveling with the athletes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always popular here, and that has always brought big money to the economy,\u201d said Pedal The Peaks bicycle shop owner David Howard. \u201cEvery year, the route changes, but it always stays here in Colorado, so that\u2019s pretty cool. I know that event is run very, very tight. They do a very good job.\u201d<\/p>\n The route<\/p>\n The prologue will be June 13 with a ride from Durango to Pagosa Springs. Riders will be given an option of a 62- or 79-mile ride. Once in Pagosa, participants will have access to Pagosa Springs Hot Springs.<\/p>\n June 14 will see riders on a 73-mile loop starting and ending in Durango with a pass through Ignacio, Bayfield and Vallecito. The second day will travel from Durango to Cortez for a 69-mile ride that will pass through the entrance of Mesa Verde National Park.<\/p>\n What will make the route so special is that it won\u2019t simply follow highways; it will get cyclists onto more remote roads away from traffic and into beautiful surroundings.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Ride the Rockies does Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen \u2013 those are all great places \u2013 but they are a lot more congested than we are here in Durango,\u201d said Durango\u2019s Todd Wells, a three-time Olympic mountain biker and winner of double-digit cycling national championships. \u201cOnce you get a couple of miles outside of Durango, they are going to see minimal traffic out there and really be able to enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n The third day will be a 100-mile ride, the longest of this year\u2019s tour, from Cortez to Norwood with a climb over Lizard Head Pass. On Day 4, it\u2019s a day to regain strength with a 40-mile journey from Norwood to Ridgway before a Day 5 loop of 50 miles that will begin and end in Ridgway.<\/p>\n The final day will travel from Ridgway to Durango with a journey over Red Mountain, Molas and Coal Bank passes.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a big day,\u201d Wells said. \u201cThey have a couple of smaller days leading into that one to get a little break. That ride is so awesome, so scenic, and for them to ride Red Mountain Pass is incredible. They are going to be tired, but once they get to the top of Coal Bank, if the winds are favorable, it will be an easy ride back to town.\u201d<\/p>\n Those who don\u2019t want to complete the six-day tour are also given the option this year for one-day rides June 14 in Durango and June 18 in Ridgway. There is also a two-day option to ride June 14-15 around Durango and from Durango to Cortez.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m truly excited about this year\u2019s route,\u201d said route coordinator Jason Sumner, author of the book \u201c75 Classic Rides: Colorado,\u201d in a news release. \u201cIt has a little bit of everything \u2013 high mountain climbs, quiet country roads, amazing scenery and some great host communities. It\u2019s definitely going to be a ride to remember.\u201d<\/p>\n This year\u2019s route announcement is a big win for Southwest Colorado.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be great for the community and a chance to have a really positive impact maybe we haven\u2019t had for all the businesses before,\u201d Wells said.<\/p>\n