The Belgian Jasper Philipsen, winner, three months ago, of the last stage of the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées, won this Sunday, also in the sprint, at the Saitama Cycling Criterium, the last race as professionals for the Spanish Alejandro Valverde and the Italian Vincenzo Nibali. The sprinter from the Alpecin-Deceuninck team beat the winner of the Tour, the Danish Jonas Vingegaard, and the British Geraint Thomas, in a quartet (along with Chris Froome) that reached the finish line ahead of the rest.
The Japanese cyclists animated with their attacks a race that was held on a 3.5-kilometre urban circuit in which the runners completed 17 laps, but the peloton ended all the adventures.
Vingegaard, wearing his yellow Tour champion jersey, attacked 24 km from the finish line and remained alone in front until, 5 from the end, he was caught by the group. It was at this point that the two illustrious veterans, Valverde (world champion in 2018 and the Vuelta in 209) and Nibali (winner of the Tour in 2014, the Giro in 2013 and 2016 and the Vuelta in 2010) were seen, throwing the last attack of their sports careers.
The illustrious couple opened a gap of 25 seconds, but the chasing group, made up of Vingegaard, Philipsen and the British Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas, annulled the breakaway to play for the sprint victory.
