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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.
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Flick through the gallery above to see what the riders got up to.
