Top sprinters return for the Tour de France Singapore Criterium

02/11/2025 1 Views

SINGAPORE – Cycling fans can expect some “fast racing” at the Tour de France EFGH Singapore Criterium on Nov 2, when some of the world’s top sprint cyclists compete for the winner’s trophy.

Among the favourites are

2023 champion Jasper Philipsen

, who finished just behind legendary British cyclist Mark Cavendish in 2024. With Cavendish hanging up his helmet and cleats, the Belgian will be trying to emerge victorious among a sprint field that includes Italy’s green jersey winner Jonathan Milan and Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay, who in 2024 became the first black African to win a stage in the Tour de France.

Speaking at a media conference at the Singapore Recreation Club on Nov 1, Philipsen, who has won 10 stages on the Tour and races for WorldTeamAlpecin-Deceuninck, said: “It’s been a while since I won here… With Mark’s win last year, I hope to do better this year.”

When asked what makes Singapore such a happy hunting ground for him, the 27-year-old laughed and added: “It’s flat, so that helps. But I’ve actually gone riding here, and there’s one hill in Singapore, one hill, one kilometre is the maximum they have. So that’s still in my capabilities.

“I just like fast racing, city criteriums and technical, just fighting for position. That’s what it’s all about here.”

Philipsen and Cavendish shared a fierce rivalry in the Singapore Criterium, with the

latter ending his illustrious career

– which included 35 Tour de France stage victories – with a winning flourish here in 2024.

Cavendish, who is in Singapore as an ambassador this time, said that “it is much better returning here without a number on the back”.

“The boys have been here many times. We’ve all ridden here, and we’ve all ridden with a local community in Singapore, and there’s an incredible cycling community that rides on a brilliant infrastructure here,” added the cyclist known as the “Manx Missile”.

“Even over the last four years, I’ve seen the infrastructure grow and grow here, and that’s super nice. And it’s events like this that people can see the stars. It is predominantly a European sport, but you can see the best in the world, here in Asia.

“To be able to come and see that and that gives an inspiration, it gives an excitement. And hopefully it gets more people on bikes and people can enjoy it the same way, like we all enjoyed it when we were young.”

Fans will also get the chance to catch Primoz Roglic, the 2020 Olympic gold medallist (time trial) and 2024 Vuelta a Espana champion, in action.

The 36-year-old Slovenian said: “There are the top world-class sprinters here, and to be among them, and be one of them, it’s pretty special. And I hope that on Sunday, I’ll be able to write my name on the winning list, like Mark and Jasper did.”

The 2025 route will see cyclists go past iconic landmarks like the Padang, Anderson Bridge and the Esplanade.

Each lap covers a distance of 2.45km – slightly more than the 2.3km route in 2024 – but the number of laps remains at 25.

There will also be a new mass participation event, A l’Attaque, a ride series that allows amateur cyclists to experience the same closed-road circuit used by the professionals.

The series will feature a team time trial for pairs and solo ride categories for masters (men aged 35 and above) and women (aged 17 and above), as well as a race for foldable bike riders.

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