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Tour de France champion Froome to compete at TDF Prudential Singapore Criterium

Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome is the latest name to join a star-studded field at the Oct 29-30 TDF Prudential Singapore Criterium, organisers said on Thursday.

Also joining the Israel-Premier Tech cyclist in Singapore are Italy's Vincenzo Nibali and Spain's Alejandro Valverde, who won the 2014 Tour de France and 2018 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Road World Championships respectively.

Froome and Nibali are just two of seven cyclists who have won three of cycling's Grand Tours (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a Espana).

The field of 32 also includes Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard, the 2022 Tour de France champion, and Olympic silver medallist Mark Cavendish, who had earlier confirmed their participation in the event.

Froome, 37, said: "It's been a busy season for me, having done both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana this year but after a good recovery period, I'm looking forward to travelling to Singapore for the inaugural Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium.

"Competitive elements aside, part of the fun of racing is also that we get to travel to new places, enjoy new experiences and introduce our sport to more fans from all over the world. I've heard great things about Singapore and seen pictures of what a beautiful city it is, so I can't wait to race on this circuit."

The Briton has not regained his form since a serious training crash in 2019 left him with several broken bones, including his pelvis, femur and four ribs.

His most notable Grand Tour accomplishment after the accident was a third place finish on the Alpe d'Huez stage of the 2022 Tour de France

The professional criterium race on Oct 30 will also feature three UCI continental teams: Terengganu Polygon Cycling Team from Malaysia, Thailand Continental Cycling Team, and LX Cycling Team from Korea, as well as a team from Singapore.

Organisers also announced that there will be a Women's Open added to the TDF Singapore Amateur Criterium, a Singapore Cycling Federation-sanctioned Class 2 event.

Angeline Huang, 33, a member of the SCF Women's Academy, said this was an important step forward in encouraging more women to take up cycling.

The senior financial services manager at Prudential Singapore said: "The women's cycling community in Singapore is one that is fast developing, and we've observed how the sport has gradually become more popular among women here over the last few years.

"Having a women's race at the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium is heartening, as it signals that there is a platform for female cyclists to participate and compete.

"Being part of a historic event like this increases the visibility of women's cycling, and we hope this generates more interest in cycling among girls and women no matter their age and background."

CYCLING - SPORTTour de France