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Cavendish, Froome, Roglič Headline Saitama Criterium
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Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish, and Primož Roglič will be “bumping bars” and “racing hard” this weekend in the first round of the off-season’s most curious custom.
Japan’s Saitama Criterium opens the carnival of year-end circuit races that travel the globe and sell pro cycling to the masses.
Biniam Girmay, Romain Bardet, and Jasper Philipsen are among other Tour de France stars who will be pedaling around Saitama on Saturday in search of a beyond-scripted win.
Many of them will then transition to Singapore for the second of ASO’s Tour de France-tied crit races. It’s expected Cavendish will hang up his wheels after next weekend’s exhibition.
Racing in Singapore and Saitama is as staged as “Wrestlemania” and the stakes are as low as you can go.
But that doesn’t stop locals from feeling the stoke for what are shameless shop windows for pro cycling.
Thousands line up for selfies and signatures while the WorldTour elite is paraded around the local cultural highlights.
Who’s the best at Aikido? #SaitamaCriterium | @saitamacrite pic.twitter.com/IITbBTQLVV
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) November 1, 2024
For the riders, these year-end Asian weekends are perfect end-of-season junkets.
They don kimonos, learn martial arts, and race rickshaws. Cavendish and Roglič this week flexed their muscles during an introduction to aikido, a Japanese martial art.
For Tour de France organizer ASO and “big cycling,” these crits are weekend-long billboards selling a very lucrative product.
From Saitama and Singapore to the Mediterranean sea
It’s not all in Asia.
Exhibition criteriums are dotted through Europe, too.
Tadej Pogačar will join a horde of WorldTour stars who will pop out of their front doors in Monaco for the Beking Critérium at the end of this month.
Sure, Monaco doesn’t need to be introduced to cycling like Japan or Singapore. Half the WorldTour lives and trains in this luxury tax haven.
The event led by pro racer Matteo Trentin is more a family-friendly charity festival.
“I am proud that Tadej will show his world champion’s jersey in the streets of Monaco,” Trentin said of the Beking event.
“It is a great honor for us. The public will be very pleased to see the world champion in action from so close,” he said. “It demonstrates how important our sport can be in society and everyday life.”
me watching Saitama and Beking criterium like it’s a real thing lol pic.twitter.com/zXGCER0GYb
— Mohochi (@matejfanclub) October 31, 2024
The big question is, will Cavendish scoop one last win next weekend in Singapore?
It would make for a very happy ending to the Tour de France legend’s career.
We’re sure it could be arranged.
“I came close to winning in Singapore last year, and I’m definitely going for the win this time,” Cavendish said in an event press release. “I’ll be working towards that and look forward to seeing you all again.”
