China's national cycling team has been in a warm-up training program ever since their arrival in Xining, capital city of Qinghai Province last Saturday, for the 2004 Tour of Qinghai Lake race slated for July 14-25.

The program aims at helping the cyclists adapt themselves to the altitude here, which is more than 3,100 meters above sea level.

As the team had taken a fortnight high-intensity program in Beijing, the training session for the last three days here were less rigid, head coach Cai Yingquan told Xinhua.

"The altitude here makes more intensive training neither necessary nor possible," he said. "Our aim is simply to help the cyclists to be used to the local conditions," he added.

Some 90km west of Xining, Qinghai Lake has a water area of 4,583 square kilometers. It is the largest inland lake in China, with water depth averaging at 19 meters.

Since its inaugural in 2002, the Tour of Qinghai Lake race has grown up to the largest road race in Asia and an international race with a highest altitude, sanctioned by the sport's world governing body the International Cycling Union.

Expected for this year's race are 20 teams, including those from Switzerland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Spain, the United States, Ukraine, Russia, Hong Kong and hosts China.

The 2004 Tour has set nine stages, one more than in last year's race, with a total distance of 1,281.8km.