SINGAPORE \u2013 Some of the world\u2019s elite cyclists who gathered in Singapore for the weekend had expected the 2025 Tour de France EFGH Singapore Criterium to be a battle under high heat and heavy humidity. <\/p>\n
But on Nov 2, there was a late twist as the heat made way for pouring rain and cool weather in the late afternoon, about 1\u00bd hours before proceedings. <\/p>\n
Amid the rain trickling down, it was Italy\u2019s Jonathan Milan who turned up the heat on the wet road as he edged out Biniam Girmay and Jasper Philipsen in a thrilling sprint finish between the past three Green Jersey winners.<\/p>\n
Milan is the fourth different victor here in as many editions, while Girmay was runner-up and Philipsen, who won the Singapore race in 2023 and was runner-up in 2024, finished third.<\/p>\n
Milan said that the weather was a surprise as all the riders had talked about how it was going to be a race held in sweltering conditions, adding that this made for a more difficult race.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really happy to have won here… it\u2019s my first time racing in Singapore, so it feels really special to take the victory,\u201d said the 25-year-old, who secured two stage wins in the 2025 Tour de France, and sealed the coveted green jersey in July to become the first Italian to claim the points classification since Alessandro Petacchi in 2010.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to say that I was not expecting this weather. The last couple of days were pretty hot, but today for the first hour of the race it was raining a lot and that can sometimes influence the race.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the road was pretty good and it was clean and I was able to ride really well on the bike.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pouring rain, which was accompanied by thunder and lightning in the area, had forced the day\u2019s earlier team time trial \u2013 scheduled on the same 2.4km city circuit \u2013 to be cancelled.<\/p>\n
After a discussion with riders, organisers decided to proceed with the professional criterium race. <\/p>\n
Irishman Ben Healy looked to have successfully made a breakaway at the start of the 25-lap, 61.25-kilometre race. But he was then caught by the charging peloton about 900 metres from the finish line before Milan, Girmay and Philipsen fought to the end in a dramatic finish.<\/p>\n
Girmay, who improved on his fourth-placed finish here in the previous edition said: \u201cIn this kind of circumstances, it is always tricky, especially if it\u2019s criterium. It\u2019s a short lap… but for myself, it\u2019s pretty good (that it rained). Because yesterday we did some tests and the humidity was so high, and I couldn\u2019t recover for two, three hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m happy today the weather was like this.\u201d<\/p>\n (From left, foreground) Jasper Philipsen, Jonathan Milan and Ben Healy in the start line in the Professional Criterium Race during Tour de France EFGH Singapore Criterium 2025.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/picture><\/div>