J:COM Saitama Critérium 2025 : bougets galore

October 28 ^th 2025 - 18:00 [GMT + 9]

• For its 11th edition, the Saitama Criterium will welcome five riders who each claimed their first Tour de France stage victory this summer — including Jonathan Milan, who capped off his debut with two stage wins and the green jersey for the points classification.
• Jonas Vingegaard, winner of the Yellow Jersey in 2022 and 2023, will also be present, along with Primoz Roglic, who finished second in the 2020 Tour after leading the race for 11 days.

After a spectacular summer on the Tour de France roads, the riders will conclude their season at the Saitama Criterium. Winner of the points classification in his first Tour de France appearance, Jonathan Milan will proudly wear his green jersey on November 9 through the streets of the Japanese city near Tokyo. The Italian sprinter made a strong impression in July by winning Stage 8 in Laval and Stage 17 in Valence. He will be joined by another sprinter who triumphed this summer, Australian Kaden Groves, who pulled off a solo victory in Pontarlier on the eve of the finish on the Champs-Élysées.
In Saitama, they will meet three other riders who also celebrated victories in July. Jonas Abrahamsen won in Toulouse after a long breakaway. Four days later, Tim Wellens took a solo win in the streets of Carcassonne. The Belgian had previously worn the polka-dot jersey as best climber for five days. Finally, French rider Valentin Paret-Peintre shone on the slopes of Mont Ventoux with a prestigious victory.

Second in the 2025 Tour de France general classification after winning in 2022 and 2023, Jonas Vingegaard will finish his season in Saitama. The Dane, who claimed victory at the Vuelta just weeks ago, had finished second here in 2022. On his path, he will face a former teammate, also a Yellow Jersey wearer and Tour stage winner: Primoz Roglic, runner-up to fellow countryman Tadej Pogacar in 2020, who led the race for 11 days before relinquishing the jersey just before the finish in Paris.

Yukiya Arashiro, present every year since the event’s inception in 2013, will compete in Saitama for the eleventh time. Winner in 2019, the Japanese rider will be the only former champion in the peloton. Three national champions are also expected at the start line: Tim Wellens will wear the Belgian national champion jersey, Andreas Leknessund the Norwegian, and Dorian Godon the French tricolor. Godon will be joined by Valentin Paret-Peintre and Jordan Jegat as part of a Team France specially assembled for the event.

Key Guests

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) ; Tim Wellens (UAE Emirates - XRG) ; Dorian Godon (Decathlon-AG2R), Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step), Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) ; Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) ; Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) ; Jonas Abrahamsen, Andreas Leknessund, Soren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) ; Yukiya Arashiro (Solution Tech-Vini Fantini).