Marcel Kittel and Peter Sagan will likely be going up against each other in the Criterium(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan and Rafal Majka(Image credit: Getty Images)
Something has amused Adan Yates and Marcel Kittel(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The riders presented to the audience(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Romain Bardet waves to the audience(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Marcel Kittel gets up on stage(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexis Vuillermoz and Samuel Dumoulin (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The riders watch a performance in the Saitama Super Arena(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Julien Vermote is winning the quiff off in Saitama(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A tired looking Romain Bardet (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan makes some music(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Tour de France jersey winners and Marcel Kittel(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A quick selfie(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Julien Vermote has a go(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Wout Poels shows of his skills(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome tries his hand(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Yukiya Arashiro pounds some rice(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A smile from the world champion(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Focus from Chris Froome(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Marcel Kittel appears to be having fun(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome in traditional dress(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tinkoff teammates Peter Sagan and Rafal Majka(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Bernard Hinault was in Saitama(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome gets dressed up(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Fumiyuki Beppu shows off his rice pounding skills(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Etixx-QuickStep team(Image credit: Daniel Benson)
Chris Froome signs some autographs(Image credit: Daniel Benson)
Thumbs up from Marcel Kittel(Image credit: Daniel Benson)
Didi Senft joined the riders in Saitama(Image credit: Daniel Benson)
Rafal Majka poses with a fan(Image credit: Daniel Benson)
The media surround Chris Froome(Image credit: Tour de France)
The Tour de France jersey wearers have accessories to match(Image credit: Tour de France)
We're not sure this baby was happy to meet Didi, despite the outfit(Image credit: Tour de France)
Fumiyuki Beppu with Didi Senft(Image credit: Tour de France)
Some local performers meet Didi the Devil(Image credit: Tour de France)
Alexis Vuillermoz shows off his best martial arts pose(Image credit: Alexis Vuillermoz)
Marcel Kittel, Fumiyuki Beppu and Chris Froome at the Saitama Criterium(Image credit: Fumiyuki Beppu)
Zico Waeytens, Georg Preidler and Koen de Kort(Image credit: Koen de Kort)
Peter Sagan is given a warm welcome(Image credit: Twitter / Radsport)
Wout Poels and Ian Boswell get dressed up for the ocassion(Image credit: Team Sky)
Fans show off signs for their favourite riders(Image credit: Getty Images)
Didi the Devil made an appearance(Image credit: Getty Images)
Peter Sagan is introduced to the crowd(Image credit: Getty Images)
Chris Froome answers questions(Image credit: Getty Images)
Adam Yates is making his first appearance at the Saitama Criterium(Image credit: Getty Images)
Chris Froome (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tour de France)
The 2016 season is over for most of the peloton but there are a few who have headed to Japan for one last hurrah at the Saitama Criterium. All four Tour de France jersey winners, Chris Froome, Peter Sagan, Adam Yates and Rafal Majka, have made the trip to the Far East as did Tour runner-up Romain Bardet and sprinter Marcel Kittel.
The Saitama criterium has been a fixture of the calendar since 2013, bringing some of the most successful riders of that year’s Tour de France for a day of exhibition racing.
The riders and media arrived in Japan earlier this week ahead of the main event on Saturday, October 29. With a day free, the riders have been taken on a short tour of the area, taking the opportunity to wear some traditional clothing, watch a performance from some local musicians and try their hands at a few activities too.
