Bouhanni, who won the 2012 French championship by outsprinting many more-fancied rivals in a fast-paced bunch finish, went on to claim six additional victories in 2012 and has impressed with a stage win at Paris-Nice and a second place on stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia this year.

FDJ.fr sport director Yvon Madiot said that the team will support 23-year-old Bouhanni to claim a stage win for the team in the final UCI WorldTour event of the season.

“The team's objective will be to get at least one success for its participation in the Tour of Beijing,” Madiot said. “That is the reason why the team is coming with Nacer Bouhanni, 2012 France Champion, and sprint expert.”

On the more arduous stages of the 2013 Tour of Beijing, including the mountain top finish on Mentougou Miaofeng Mountain on stage four, FDJ.fr will rely on Johan Le Bon, Anthony Roux and Jérémy Roy to take any chance to join breakaways and look for opportunistic stage victories.

Roy in particular has built a fine career as a breakaway specialist, particularly at the Tour de France where he was voted the most aggressive rider in 2011 and was able to wear the polka-dot mountains classification jersey for a day, while Roux captured a stage victory at the 2009 Vuelta a España from a successful breakaway move.

Six-time Finnish champion Jussi Veikkanen is expected to be play a critical role as the on-road team captain guiding the tactics and calling the moves of when to send Le Bon, Roux and Roy to the breakaway. The veteran also has the capability to climb, also wearing the polka-dot jersey at the 2009 Tour de France for five consecutive stages.

Canadian Dominique Rollin is another veteran who will offer valuable experience to a relative young FDJ.fr squad. The 2006 national champion is one of the best Canadian riders on the UCI WorldTour and will provide the team with valuable insight of racing in Asia having also completed the Tour of Beijing in 2012.

Madiot said Cedric Pineau and Arnaud Courteille, the two French riders completing the FDJ.fr squad, are two very important teammates. Both are hard-working puncheur riders coming off the recent Vuelta a Espana. The pair should provide support in the quest for stage victories, particularly in the lead-outs for Bouhanni.

FDJ.fr line-up for 2013 Tour of Beijing:

Nacer Bouhanni (FRA, 23)

Bouhanni is a promising young sprinter with immense talent who will carry the hopes of France for many years to come. Surprised many to become French road race champion in 2012. Backed that form up with six further victories in 2012, including the overall at the Circuit de Lorraine, and in 2013 won a stage of the Paris-Nice.

Arnaud Courteille (FRA, 24)

Courteille is another emerging talent, who won the under-23 road race at the 2008 French championships. Suited to the longer stage races with impressive results at the Vuelta a España and finishing 10th overall at the 2010 Tour of Portugal with a stage victory.

Johan Le Bon (FRA, 22)

An elite prospect in the individual time trial, who is developing at senior level after a stellar junior career. He was a junior world champion in 2008 in the road race, and then followed that up with consecutive victories in the under-23 time trial at the French national championships in 2011 and 2012.

Cedric Pineau (FRA, 28)

One of the more experienced riders on the team, he has built a career as a solid domestique at the longer stage races, particularly the Tour de France and Vuelta a España. His best individual result came in 2010, finishing fourth overall at the Four Days of Dunkirk.

Dominique Rollin (CAN, 30)

One of the best Canadian riders on the professional circuit currently, he returns to the Tour of Beijing after finishing tenth on a stage last year. The 2006 Canadian road race champion is a typical all-round rider with victories in the individual time trial and also competed strongly in both one-day classics as well as the Vuelta a España and Giro d'Italia.

Anthony Roux (FRA, 26)

Roux is a typically aggressive rider who regularly features in the breakaways. He won the combative award on stage two of the 2012 Tour de France for this very type of riding. Captured a stage win of the 2009 Vuelta a España to prove he is a rider for the longer stage races.

Jeremy Roy (FRA, 30)

Roy is another aggressive rider who likes to frequent a long breakaway in the Grand Tours. He was named the most aggressive rider of the 2011 Tour de France for continuously attacking from inside the breakaway, and held the mountains classification jersey for a stage. Has also won a stage of the Paris-Nice and in 2013 finished fourth overall at the Bayern-Rundfahrt.

Jussi Veikkannen (FIN, 32)

The six-time Finnish road race champion is a veteran at the professional level and offers tactical nous. Wore the King of the Mountains jersey at the 2009 Tour de France for five consecutive stages and in 2013 finished 10th overall at the Tour Down Under.