Wellens, a rider for the Lotto Soudal team, avoided a crash near the end of the 151 kilometres stage and attacked at the right time to secure a close win.

The 26-year-old crossed the line in 3 hours 23min 18sec, holding off the challenge of Dutchman Bauke Mollema and Ireland's Nicolas Roche, second and third respectively.

Colombian Fernando Gaviria of the Quick-Step Floors team had come into the fourth stage having won the first three but the sprinting specialist was not expected to contest the lead today.

Wellens' closest rival in the battle for the overall crown at the final International Cycling Union World Tour event of the season is Mollema.

He is four seconds behind the Belgian in the current standings.

Both managed to stay clear of a crash five kilometres from the end of the stage which ended the chances of Denmark's Jakob Fuglsang of Astana and Dutch rider Wilco Kelderman.

"Of course I am super happy," Wellens was quoted as saying by Cyclingnews.

"I was very good in front thanks to my teammates at the bottom of the climb and then I had a lot of power in the legs and I attacked together with Bauke Mollema.

"We stayed in front with three and then it was just in the final that I attacked one final time."

The event in Nanning is due to continue tomorrow with a 212.2km stage from Liuzhou to Guilin.