Lhasa to hold cycling race during this year's Shoton Festival

A cycling race will be held in Lhasa during this year's Shoton Festival, the organizing committee of the festival told Xinhua Thursday. It is the first time that a cycling race will be held during the annual festival, starting from August 6 and lasting for seven days this year. Thanks to the race, competitors can not only enjoy the beautiful view of Lhasa, but also admire the traditional Tibetan culture. The race will be held on the morning of August 7, covering a distance of 9.5 kilometers. Organizers wish that the event could promote the idea of environmental protection. According to the Tibetan language, "Sho" means yoghurt while "ton" means banquet. Thus, "Shoton Festival" is commonly known as "Yoghurt Festival". The festival was originally a religious occasion. People used to offer yoghurt to monks who had finished their religious retreat. Now the festival is a celebration featuring both religious rituals and civil entertainment. It is considered as one of the most important festivals in Tibetan calendar.