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[Race Report] EXHIBITION Sasebo Criterium
On Friday, October 9, 2026, ahead of “We stand with Kumamoto Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2026”, the Sasebo Criterium was held on a circuit in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture. Luke Burns of Victoire Hiroshima claimed the victory after breaking away from the peloton and holding on to the finish.
The opening day of the four-day event featured the now-traditional exhibition criterium. For the second consecutive year, the race took place around Sasebo Port. The 1.5 km circuit, starting and finishing at Sasebo Port and passing in front of Sasebo Station, was largely unchanged from last year, although a few minor adjustments were made to the layout. Large numbers of local residents and spectators gathered along the course.
The Sasebo Criterium was held for the second time, with Sasebo Port providing the setting for a high-speed race.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held before the start. From the left: Takeshi Nakamura, Director of the Sasebo Gobangai Mall; Hidetoshi Kuno, Chairman of the Sasebo City Council; Daisuke Miyajima, Mayor of Sasebo; Kazuhiro Ikebe, Chairman of the Tour de Kyushu 2026 Executive Committee; Ken Hirata, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture; Tatsuya Tokunaga, Chairman of the Nagasaki Prefectural Assembly; Munenori Kawasaki, Race Captain; and Futoshi Yamano, Chief of Staff, JMSDF Sasebo District Headquarters.
As the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Sasebo Band performed a fanfare, the newly introduced caravan vehicles made their way around the course, while limited-edition event merchandise was distributed to spectators along the route.
The pace picked up immediately after the start. Although several riders launched attacks, the peloton remained together through the early stages. Tommaso Dati (TEAM UKYO) made a move in an attempt to win the lap prize at the finish line on lap five. However, Dati, who was also considered a contender for the overall victory in the main event, was closely marked by the WorldTeams.
Kevin Vermaerke of UAE Team Emirates XRG, who attracted considerable attention as a rider from the world’s top-ranked team, was consistently aggressive throughout the race.
At the front of the peloton, Kevin Vermaerke (UAE Team Emirates XRG) repeatedly accelerated, putting pressure on the other teams. Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Team), who finished second last year, also stayed near the front, keeping a close eye on potentially dangerous moves.
On lap nine, Zenshin Nozaki (Japan National Team) positioned himself near the front of the peloton, which was dominated by riders from WorldTeams and ProTeams. The lap prize on lap ten came down to a sprint between Dati and Delle Vedove, with Delle Vedove taking the honors this time. Nozaki crossed the line in fourth place.
Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Team), who won three of the day’s lap prizes.
Delle Vedove won the lap prize again on lap 15. As the high pace gradually reduced the size of the peloton, an eight-rider lead group formed on lap 17, including Delle Vedove, Vermaerke, and Nozaki.
As the laps progressed, Dati and Atsushi Oka (Astemo Utsunomiya Blitzen), among others, attacked from the chasing group and successfully bridged across to the leaders. On lap 20, Delle Vedove once again edged out Nozaki to claim the lap prize, securing back-to-back victories.
Spectators enjoying the race from a prime viewing spot.
On lap 23, Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) attacked from the chasing group and joined the leaders. However, with another strong rider joining them, the front group began watching one another and the pace dropped. The chasing group soon caught them, bringing together a main peloton of 33 riders.
Zenshin Nozaki (Japan National Team) made a a determined bid for the lap prizes and successfully claimed the prize on lap 25.
For the lap prize on lap 25, Nozaki launched an early attack as planned, pulling clear of the WorldTeam and ProTeam riders and crossing the line first.
The 19-year-old, whose cycling background includes mountain biking and cyclocross, demonstrated his strengths to secure a valuable lap-prize victory. Reflecting on his performance, he said, “I felt I was fast through the corners.”
With the peloton still together, the riders entered the final lap with Atsushi Oka at the front. As the pace momentarily eased, Luke Burns (Victoire Hiroshima) seized the opportunity to attack and break away alone. Caught off guard, the peloton organized a chase led by XDS Astana Team, but the riders were unable to catch Burns.
Luke Burns (Victoire Hiroshima), winner of the Sasebo Criterium.
Burns entered the final corner with a comfortable margin and held off Oliveira, who launched a powerful sprint from the peloton, to cross the finish line first. Against a field featuring several higher-ranked teams, Burns delivered a valuable victory for his domestic team.
Although the Sasebo Criterium was an exhibition race with no UCI points on offer, the WorldTeams and ProTeams raced aggressively throughout. The 55-minute, 54-second contest provided a clear indication that the three days ahead will be fiercely competitive.
Shunsuke Awai, Representative Director and President of the Mynavi Corporation, poses for a photo with the top three finishers.
Sasebo Criterium Results
1st Luke Burns (Victoire Hiroshima) 55:54
2nd Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG) same time
3rd Jeroen Meijers (Victoria Sports Pro Cycling) same time
Comments from the winner, Luke Burns
“I started the race thinking of it as a warm-up for the next three days, so I’m surprised by this result. It was a pretty intense race, but I think I managed to break away at just the right moment. After attacking, I focused on not looking back. Over the next three days, I hope to compete for the overall classification against the WorldTour riders.”
Lap Prize Winners
Lap Prize (Lap 5)
Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Team)
Lap Prize (Lap 10)
Tommaso Dati (TEAM UKYO)
Lap Prize (Lap 15)
Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Team)
Lap Prize (Lap 20)
Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Team)
Masafumi Kiryu, President of Kajima Corporation, with Zenshin Nozaki, winner of the special lap prize on lap 25.
Lap Prize (Lap 25)
Zenshin Nozaki (Japan National Team)
“There were a lot of corners, with repeated accelerations out of them, so I expected the course to suit me as long as I paid attention to positioning. Once I was racing, I felt I was fast through the corners (laughs). I think my background in mountain biking and cyclocross helped me save enough energy, even through the repeated accelerations, to last until the end. The overseas riders were so fast, and I didn’t know when I’d get another chance to experience this level of racing, so I wanted to try everything I could today.”
Best Japanese Rider Award
Atsushi Oka (Astemo Utsunomiya Blitzen)
“The chasing group wasn’t going fast enough to catch the breakaway, so I tried to bridge across myself and just managed to make it. My heart rate took a long time to come down. I thought the break might stay away until the finish, but we were caught. If I had been racing near the front from the beginning, I wouldn’t have had to spend energy bridging, so that’s something I need to reflect on. Bonus seconds are likely to be important in the races starting tomorrow, but we still don’t fully understand the differences in strength between the teams, so I want to race strategically.”
Riders racing a lap alongside the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force multi-purpose support ship Amakusa.
On Saturday, October 10, the first day of “We stand with Kumamoto Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2026”, the Saga – Fukuoka Stage will cover 152 km from Karatsu to Tenjin in Fukuoka. Three KOM locations are scheduled in the early part of the stage, but the route is generally flat, setting the scene for a spectacular bunch sprint in Tenjin, Kyushu’s largest downtown shopping and entertainment district.