Three teams with Tour de France experience, including world No 1 Astana, will compete in the Tour of Hainan cycling race for the first time when the 2010 edition begins on Monday.

Alexander Vinokourov, winner of the 13th stage in this year's Tour de France, will lead the charge of Astana. Astana's archrival, Spain's Footon-Servetto-Fuji team and Skil-Shimano of the Netherlands, are the other teams entering the $280,000 Tour of Hainan with experience in the world's marquee cycling event.

Beginning in Sanya, the 1,466km event will progress counter-clockwise around Hainan Island and pass through 18 cities before finishing in Sanya on Oct 19. The race's nine stages will include flatlands, hills and mountains.

After the island suffered some of its worst storms in 50 years last week, the organizing committee changed part of the route to avoid areas damaged by flooding. Organizers will monitor the route to ensure the safety of the cyclists.

The event, which began in 2006, was upgraded this year from a continental 2.2 classification to 2.HC, an elite men's race one level below Europe's three Grand Tours. The only other Asian races at that level are the Tour of Langkawi in Malaysia and Tour of Qinghai Lake in China.

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