Cycling: Valverde beats Tour de France victor Thomas to win Saitama Criterium

A group of 53 riders, and some stellar names, started the sixth Saitama Criterium, which was run across 19 laps of a 3.1-kilometre circuit. Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, road world champion Alejandro Valverde and four-time Grand Tour victor Vincenzo Nibali topped the billing. Road world champion Alejandro Valverde edged out Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas to claim victory in the Saitama Criterium.