Slovenian sprinter Luka Mezgec, who in 2013 claimed the final stage at the Bird’s Nest Piazza, will join Cheng Ji, the first Chinese rider to race the Tour de France, as key riders on the Team Giant-Shimano roster at this year’s Tour of Beijing.

The Dutch-based Team Giant-Shimano come to Beijing with a host of in-form riders for the season-ending event on the UCI WorldTour event, running from Friday 10th to Tuesday 14th October, 2014.

Competing for just the second time at his home UCI WorldTour event, having made his debut in 2013, Cheng Ji will close out a season that was highlighted by his history-making ride as the first Chinese to both start and finish the Tour de France.

Mezgec has been in great form this year, with three stage wins in the Volta Catalunya prior to his breakout Grand Tour stage 21 victory at the Giro d’Italia. He will be able to rely on support from South African strongman Reinardt Janse van Rensburg on the flatter stages.

Eight riders from eight different nations make up the Team Giant-Shimano team with Frenchman Warren Barguil and Dutch rider Albert Timmer spearheading Giant-Shimano’s General Classification hopes, the former no doubt riding high off the back of his eighth-place overall at the Vuelta a Espana.

The toughest Tour of Beijing yet will lend itself to riders more at home in the mountains with Swede Tobias Ludvigsson, Austrian Georg Preidler and German Johannes Frohlinger sure to provide a solid backbone to Team Giant-Shimano’s attack.

Team Giant-Shimano coach Lionel Marie said the team will be looking to finish off the season on a strong note.

"It looks like there's a strong field for Beijing, but we also come here with a strong team that can challenge for both the GC and stages," Marie said.

"Warren will be our guy for the overall and hopefully Luka will be in shape to challenge for the sprints. He showed he can win here last year and added further WorldTour sprint victories to his name this season.”

"We will be ready to take our opportunities where we can here and we have different options so hopefully we can end the season on a good note.”

Ji said he was looking forward to his return to Beijing.

“My role is still the same as any other big race really and I will be working for the team as we have a strong team for this race. We had a good race last year with Luka winning a stage and I will support the leaders in trying to repeat this success,” Ji said.

"It's really great to race in front of a home crowd like this. Last year the fans were crazy and it was nice to see the level of support. I think it will be the same this year. It is the only WorldTour race in China and I am pleased that I can race at the highest level in my own country."

The 2014 Tour of Beijing will be held from Friday the 10th to Tuesday 14th of October as the final event on the UCI WorldTour calendar.

The five day, 764.5 kilometre route provides for opportunistic racing and takes in breathtaking views of the Great Wall, Beijing’s mountain terrain and embraces key tourism attractions such as Tiananmen Square and the Bird’s Nest.