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Peter Sagan, Thomas and Kittel star in Beijing Opera - Gallery

By Cycling News

published 16 November 2018

Riders arrive in China for second running of Tour de France Criterium

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Peter Sagan follows the leader(Image credit: Getty Images)

Marco Matthis, Nils Politt and Marcel Kittel(Image credit: Getty Images)

Pierre Latour dancing on stage(Image credit: Getty Images)

Geraint Thomas introduced on stage(Image credit: Getty Images)

Actor and event ambassador Ethan Ruan with the riders(Image credit: Getty Images)

It's a little hot in there(Image credit: Getty Images)

Thumbs up(Image credit: Getty Images)

Riders are introduced to the crowd(Image credit: Getty Images)

A spot of champagne for the riders(Image credit: Getty Images)

A few of the international riders are brought up on stage(Image credit: Getty Images)

Marcel Kittel, Pierre Latour, Peter Sagan and Geraint Thomas(Image credit: Getty Images)

The riders learn a few moves(Image credit: Getty Images)

Fans watch the riders on stage(Image credit: Getty Images)

A fan gets a picture with Mat Hayman(Image credit: ASO)

Mat Hayman with some fans(Image credit: ASO)

The opera members show off their moves(Image credit: Getty Images)

Some fast-moving opera members(Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the opera members(Image credit: Getty Images)

Marcel Kittel and Peter Sagan(Image credit: Getty Images)

Pierre Latour looks a little unsure in his new outfit(Image credit: Getty Images)

Matteo Trentin stops for a photo(Image credit: ASO)

Jakob Fuglsang checks out one of the kids bikes(Image credit: Getty Images)

A bee surveys the scene(Image credit: Getty Images)

A child races her bike(Image credit: Getty Images)

Fans queue up to get some merchandise(Image credit: Getty Images)

A kid during a race held before the Shanghai Criterium(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jakob Fuglsang has a photo with a fan(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jakob Fuglsang autographs a child(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jakob Fuglsang gets stuck in(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jakob Fuglsang races with some local children(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jakob Fuglsang lines up on the start line(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jakob Fuglsang looks like he's enjoying the racing(Image credit: Getty Images)

Didi the devil with one of the kids(Image credit: Getty Images)

Peter Sagan and Marcel Kittel show off their threads(Image credit: Twitter)

Geraint Thomas gets a yellow outfit(Image credit: Twitter)

Jakob Fuglsang with some local children ahead of a race(Image credit: Getty Images)

Geraint Thomas talks to the media(Image credit: Getty Images)

Marcel Kittel speaks on stage(Image credit: Getty Images)

Marcel Kittel signs autographs(Image credit: Getty Images)

Marcel Kittel takes a selfie with a fan(Image credit: Getty Images)

Didi the Devil signs autographs for fans(Image credit: Getty Images)

Marcel Kittel signs the mascot(Image credit: Getty Images)

Nils Politt shakes hands with a... well we're not entirely sure what it is(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tao Geoghegan Hart, Geraint Thomas and Jonathan Castroviejo(Image credit: Getty Images)

Geraint Thomas signs an autograph for a fan(Image credit: Getty Images)

A cold looking Tao Geoghegan Hart(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jonathan Castroviejo helps Geraint Thomas sign autographs(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tao Geoghegan Hart and Geraint Thomas(Image credit: Getty Images)

A fan takes a photo with Geraint Thomas(Image credit: Getty Images)

Geraint Thomas talks on stage(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Sky team are introduced on stage(Image credit: Getty Images)

Pierre Latour dresses up(Image credit: Twitter)

After the Saitama Criterium a couple of weeks ago, the peloton has moved to China for the second edition of the Shanghai Criterium. The racing isn’t until Saturday, but the riders got an opportunity to meet fans and try on some traditional clothes in the build-up to the event.

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Peter Sagan headlines Shanghai Criterium

Peter Sagan, Geraint Thomas, Marcel Kittel and Romain Bardet are the headline names at this year’s Shanghai Criterium, with Pierre Latour, Jakob Fuglsang and Matteo Trentin also set to take part at the weekend.

It was a cold and wet day but the fans still came out in force to meet the riders. Thomas, who also went to the Saitama Criterium two weeks ago, was in big demand for autographs. Fuglsang went to meet some local children and took them on in a bike race, with the kids giving him a run for his money.

Later on in the day, a few of the riders got to try on some traditional dress when they were paid a visit by the Beijing Opera. Thomas, Sagan, Kittel and Latour were given colour-coded outfits relating to the different jerseys of the Tour de France. The four also got to learn a few of the Opera's moves live on stage as fans watched on.