Del Toro claims Tour de France Singapore Criterium ahead of Seixas after solo effort

Isaac Del Toro claimed a solo victory at the Tour de France EFGH Singapore Criterium ahead of Paul Seixas. 

The Mexican champion was part of a four-man leading group alongside Seixas, Mauro Schmid and Søren Wærenskjold before going clear on the penultimate lap with 3.5km remaining.

Seixas, who was solo in the chase, had Del Toro in his sights, but didn't return to the wheel of the Mexican champion who crossed the line in first. 

Seixas took second, while Wærenskjold outsprinted Schmid for third. Kaden Groves won the sprint for fifth.

The fifth edition of the Singapore Criterium featured a start list spearheaded by Del Toro and Seixas. 

However, it was the other riders on the start list who animated the criterium in the early stages, tackling 25 laps of a 2.45km circuit, totalling 61.25km. 

The criterium followed a regular tempo, with the sprinters duking it out at the intermediate sprint at the end of each fifth lap before attacks followed. 

Over the opening 10 laps, there were various incarnations of the breakaway, with no group establishing a significant advantage over the peloton.

Biniam Girmay beat Jonas Abrahamsen to the first intermediate sprint at the end of the fifth lap. It was Jordi Meeus who claimed the second sprint at the end of the tenth lap, denying Girmay with 36km remaining. 

The third intermediate sprint was the most competitive yet, with Groves pipping Girmay, while Meeus took third. 

Girmay claimed the fourth sprint at the end of lap 20, with 12km remaining, earning the points prize before Del Toro and Seixas were drawn into action. 

The duo went on the move, jumping across to Schmid and Wærenskjold, and the quartet quickly opened an advantage of over 30 seconds. 

Del Toro launched another acceleration with 3.5km remaining, opening an advantage over Seixas, with Schmid and Wærenskjold further back.