Intro:

Slovenia's Luka Mezgec won the first stage of the final Tour of Beijing on Friday.

Script:

It is the end of the season and the end of an era for the Tour of Beijing.

After four years, this year's race will be the last one.

FDJ's Jeremy Roy attempted a breakaway on stage one and did build an eight minute lead but he was eventually reeled in by the peloton.

Sky did plenty of the work at the front heading in to the final kilometres but Orica Green-Edge were always lurking.

Edvald Boasson-Hagen will leave Sky this winter and drop to ProContinenal level so he looked like he had something to prove as he led with three kilometres remaining.

It didn't quite work out for the Norwegian as he faded once Garmin-Sharp's Tyler Farrar started the final sprint.

Many teams will be fed of the sight of a Giant Shimano jersey crossing the line first but as Marcel Kittel isn't in China, Luka Mezgec took the honours this time.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Luka Mezgec, Team Giant-Shimano

"Yeah, thanks. I mean I feel honoured that I can be a player on flat stages, so that's a big compliment for me, for the second year as a professional."

Orica Green-Edge's Caleb Ewan came in second with Farrar taking third.