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Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs will welcome its second bicycle tour in less than a week today.

Just days after Ride the Rockies passed over Rabbit Ears Pass and through Steamboat, the Bicycle Tour of Colorado arrives in town today. The Tour will bring more than 1,500 riders to Steamboat for check-in today. The seven-day, 418-mile tour starts Sunday.

In its 13th year, the Bicycle Tour of Colorado begins and ends in Steamboat Springs. It's the first time in three years the tour - which establishes a new course every year - has come to Steamboat.

Participating cyclists can check in from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Steamboat Springs High Sch-ool before moving to the kick-off party at nearby Memorial Park, complete with a beer garden and live music. The party is open to the public.

The race starts Sunday morning, when cyclists will head over Rabbit Ears Pass, 57 miles to Walden and then over Willow Creek Pass and into Granby.

By Day 4, the Tour takes a break day at Copper Mountain, which will play host to "Sports Expo 2007" from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday.

From Copper Mountain, the Tour climbs to Leadville, follows the Blue River back to Krem-mling, then cruises over Gore Pass and back into Steamboat on June 30.

In all, the ride climbs over eight mountain passes.

"What makes the Steamboat Springs loop unique is the number of passes it goes over," said Matt Windt, events director for the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association. "That's something really unique with this loop."

While the Ride the Rockies bike tour may be better known, the Bicycle Tour of Colorado provides riders a busy layover day and nightly entertainment.

"My wife complains that I'm more keyed up for this event than anything else that happens in the year," said local cyclist George Krawzoff, who will ride in this year's event.

Krawzoff, who has participated in the event before, said most riders will depart from Steamboat early Sunday.

When riders return June 30, there will be a barbecue at the high school from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information on the tour, visit www.bicycletourcolorado.com.

- To reach Luke Graham, call 871-4229 or e-mail lgraham@steamboatpilot.com