Claude Criquielion

Claude Criquielion (11 January 1957 – 18 February 2015) was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who raced between 1979 and 1990. In 1984, Criquielion became the world road race champion in Barcelona, Spain on a gruelling course. He had five top-ten finishes in the Tour de France.

Claude Criquielion
Criquielion in 2014
Personal information
Full nameClaude Criquielion
Born(1957-01-11)11 January 1957
Lessines, Belgium
Died18 February 2015(2015-02-18) (aged 58)
Aalst, Belgium
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Professional teams
1979Kas–Campagnolo
1980–1989Splendor
1990–1991Lotto–Superclub
Managerial teams
2000–2004Lotto–Adecco
2005–2006Landbouwkrediet–Colnago
Major wins
1984 World Road Race Championship
La Flèche Wallonne (1985, 1989)
Tour of Flanders (1987)
Tour de Romandie (1986)
Clásica de San Sebastián (1983)

Criquielion was well placed to win a medal in the 1988 world road race championship in Belgium. However, he crashed in sight of the line when another competitor, Steve Bauer of Canada, clashed with him. The third rider, Maurizio Fondriest, went on to win. Bauer was disqualified and Criquielion sued Bauer for assault, asking for $1.5 million in damages in a case that lasted more than three years before the judge ruled in Bauer's favor.

At the national championship race in 1985, he tested positive for Pervitin, but received no repercussions. The head of the laboratory at Ghent University, which had administered the analysis, subsequently resigned his post in the Medical Commission of the Belgian Cycling Association (KBWB) in protest.[1]

Criquielion was directeur sportif of the Lotto–Adecco team from 2000 to 2004. His son, Mathieu Criquielion, turned professional for the Landbouwkrediet-Colnago team in 2005; Claude Criquielion became the team's manager.

From 2006 until his death Criquielion was an alderman for the liberal MR in Lessines.

During the night of 15-16 February 2015, Criquielion suffered a cerebrovascular accident and he was hospitalized in critical condition.[2] Criquelion died at 9:00 AM on 18 February 2015 in a hospital in Aalst.[3][4]

Career achievements

Major results
1991
7th overall, Paris–Nice
2nd, La Flèche Wallonne
2nd, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
1990
2nd, Tour du Haut Var
8th, Tour of Flanders
6th, Giro di Lombardia
1st,  Belgium National Cycling Championship
1989
5th, E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
1st, La Flèche Wallonne
2nd, Amstel Gold Race
7th Giro d'Italia
1988
1st, Critérium des As
5th, Gent–Wevelgem
3rd, Amstel Gold Race
8th, Championnat de Zurich
1987
1st Memorial Samyn
10th overall, Paris–Nice
1st Tour of Flanders
2nd, La Flèche Wallonne
3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
7th, Giro di Lombardia
1986
1st, GP du Midi Libre
8th, Tour of Flanders
3rd, La Flèche Wallonne
4th, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
9th, Amstel Gold Race
1st overall, 1st mountains, 1st combined, Tour of Romandie
1985
6th, Tour of Flanders
1st, La Flèche Wallonne
2nd, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
8th, Amstel Gold Race
1984
1st, Grand Prix Eddy Merckx
7th, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
7th, Giro di Lombardia
1st Road race, UCI Road World Championships
1983
8th, Tour du Haut Var
1st, Clásica de San Sebastián
1982
5th overall, Paris–Nice
1st, Brabantse Pijl
4th, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
9th, Giro di Lombardia

Tour de France results

References
  1. "Affaire-Criquelion krijgt een staartje" [Affair Criquelion gets a tail]. De Volkskrant (in Dutch). 8 August 1985. p. 8. Retrieved 2 April 2020 – via Delpher.
  2. Ex-wereldkampioen wielrennen Criquielion kritiek na hersenberoerte
  3. Claude Criquielion overleden
  4. Claudy Criquielion: Cyclist whose many wins were overshadowed by a race he famously lost and the ensuing legal fall-out
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