Five routes have been added to the nine-stage Tour of Qinghai cycling race, a vice governor of Qinghai Province on Friday.

Ma Peihua, also director of the race's organizing committee, said the route and stages have been settled and the number of stages will be the same with last year.

According to Ma, the stages of the 2006 race are as follows: Qinghai Lake Hotel-Bird Island, Bird Island-Xihai to the north of the lake, Xihai-Qinghai Lake hotel, Qinghai Lake Hotel-Guide County to the south of the lake, Guide-Xining, Xining-Minhe County to the east of the lake-Xining, Xining-Menyuan County to the north of the lake, Menyuan-Huzhu County to the east of the lake and circuit of Xining.

The total distance of the nine-day-tour is 1381.1 km and the race distance is 1,307 km. The highest altitude during the race is about 3,900m while the lowest is about 1,800.

The Tour of Qinghai Lake race will be held from July 15 to 23. A total of 140 riders from 20 cycling teams, including two UCI professional teams, four UCI professional continental teams, nine UCI continental teams and five national teams will take part in this "highest" cycling race in the world.

(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2006)