Today's leg was seen as key in the battle for overall victory as it provided the only summit finish of the race in Nongla.

All three of the previous stages so far had finished in bunch sprints but the general classification contenders emerged today.

Italy's Moscon, riding for Team Sky, attacked on the final climb and crossed the line first to win by five seconds.

Felix Großschartner of Austria and Bora-Hansgrohe was second with Astana's Russian rider Sergei Chernetski eight seconds adrift of Moscon.

The top three finishers now occupy the same spots in the general classification after former race leader Fabio Jakobsen of The Netherlands slid out of contention.

Jakobsen, who won yesterday's stage, came 121st out of 122 riders on a course which did not suit him and finished more than six minutes back.

With time bonuses considered, Moscon now leads the race by nine seconds over Großschartner with a time of 12 hours 2min 29sec.

Chernetski is 14 seconds off the lead with two stages left.

"We were all full gas and I saw the other riders were really tired and I thought 'now is the moment,'" Moscon said, according to Cycling News.

"I didn't think about it, it was just a feeling. 

"I attacked and straight away had a small gap which I held to the end."

The race is the last on the International Cycling Union's Men's World Tour calendar.

Britain's Simon Yates has already won the overall title and is not in action in China.