GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Local bikers have an edge in this year's Ride the Rockies, and so does the local economy.

It's all because the tour will get underway right here in Grand Junction.

Dale Reece has already started training for the big race in June and says, "You got to make sure you get a lot of miles under your butt before the race starts."

This will be Reece's second year competing in Ride The Rockies, and he says he has an upper hand in the upcoming tour because the first two days will be a course he's very familiar with.

Barbara Bowman with the Grand Junction Visitor's Bureau says the starting point is more than just an advantage for local competitors. "Any time you have an event with that many people it ends up being a large impact on our economy," she says.

Bowman says this ride will draw more than 3,000 people to the area with money to spend. About 2,000 cyclists will take part in the event.

Since Grand Junction is the only city where cyclists will be staying two nights, the event will make about a $500,000 economic impact in the community

Bowman says she hopes cyclists and fans will like what they see in Grand Junction and come back again to visit the area's other attractions, like wineries, downtown and more.