The 2009 Tour of Hainan International Road Cycling Race kicked off in China's southernmost city Sanya on Wednesday. Tour of Hainan, having been successfully held for three years since 2006, has upgraded to 2.HC level, top in Asia, this year. 'To hold the traditional and high-level international cycling races is an effective way to promote China's cycling sport, and the tour of Hainan makes great contributions to the development of Chinese cycling,' said Liu Peng, director of the State General Administration of Sports (SGAS), at the opening ceremony of the tour. Covering over 1,400 kilometers, the race will visit all the 18 cities and counties of the south China's province for the first time. A total of twenty teams including one UCI continental professional team, 12 continental teams, six national teams and one regional team will compete for the total prize money of 250,000 U.S. dollars. Divided into nine stages, the race will first arrive at Baoting, a county near Sanya on Wednesday. The first stage covers 131.3 kilometers. The tour of Hainan will finish in Sanya on Nov. 19. 