Boy van Poppel arrived with a peloton cut to half its numbers as the wind, hills and altitude wreaked havoc in the 167-kilometer race that opened the five-day Tour of Beijing Friday.  He sprinted to 8th place in a wild finish on a super wide highway that saw an all-out drag race between sprint teams in the final kilometers.

Julian Arredondo and Riccardo Zoidl were also in the diminished front peloton as Hayden Roulston endured an untimely puncture at a crucial moment in the race and was unable to get back to the front. Danny van Poppel, battling a stomach ailment overnight, came in with the large second group, as did two of Trek Factory Racing's young guns, Fabio Silvestre and Calvin Watson.

Robert Kiserlovski unfortunately was forced to withdraw during the race, a result of an earlier known medical condition that flared up again and caused him too much pain to continue.

“We know that Robert had this, but we believed that he was better, which is why he was here, but today the pain was too much and he could not follow the pace. The rest of the team was feeling jetlag, like everyone here, and Danny was sick with a stomach problem that began yesterday,” Director of Trek Adriano Baffi told the Trek website.

“Hayden had a puncture at the exact moment there was a split in the group and was unable to get back. At the end it was those who more or less have good condition that were able to be in the front. It was a tough race today. Without Danny, and without help in the sprint, Boy did what he could at the end. The race will be won here on stage four. Hopefully Danny will be okay for tomorrow, as more than likely it will be a sprint again,” Baffi finished.