Een tijdje geleden was er een enquête in een Vlaamse krant over wie na Eddy Merckx de beste Belgische renner was en ik geloof dat het een tweestrijd was tussen Roger De Vlaeminck en Claude Criquielion waarbij laatstgenoemde er als eerste uitkwam. Helaas vind ik niets meer terug over deze info.
Criquielion, who unfortunately died far too early at the age of only 58 due to a long-term illness, was a fantastic all-round rider with victories in, among others, the Tour of Flanders, the Flèche Wallonne, the Clasica San Sebastian, the 1984 World Championship in Barcelona, a 3rd place in the 1980 Vuelta and a 5th place in the 1986 Tour de France.
The tragic 1988 World Championship in Ronse
However, Criquielion will always be remembered for the tragic incident at the 1988 World Championship in Ronse. Who doesn't remember the images of Claudy walking across the finish line on foot with a broken bicycle.
Criquielion would probably have become world champion again, had he not been beaten in the final sprint by the Canadian cyclist Steve Bauer who pushed him into the crush barriers. Criquielion fell and his 2nd world title was gone.
The third fellow escapee, the Italian Maurizio Fondriest, was able to get past Bauer who had stopped and thus grabbed the world title. Bauer was shouted at by Belgian supporters, Criquielion appealed to the jury, but Fondriest was later honored on stage as the new world champion.
Criquielion, net als alle Belgische supporters voelden zich bestolen, en besloot om een proces te starten tegen Steve Bauer. Deze rechtszaak die maar liefst 8 jaar duurde, leverde een kater op voor Criquielion. Hij verloor en moest zelf opdraaien voor de juridische kosten, die opliepen tot zo’n slordige €12.500.
The 1988 World Championships in Ronse remain a black page for both Criquielion, which has never been able to forget the incident, and for Belgian cycling with a world title taken away. Eddy Planckaert once said that Criquielion thanked him after his victory in Paris Roubaix in 1990 because he had beaten Bauer in the sprint.
Belga Sport made a broadcast about this that you can watch on YouTube or below.
Carrière Claude Criquielion
Below you will find an overview of Claude Criquielion's career
Claude Criquielion, geboren op 11 januari 1957 in Lessen, België, was actief als beroepswielrenner van 1979 tot en met 1991. Als klassiekerspecialist heeft hij tal van prestigieuze overwinningen op zijn naam staan waaronder:
- Ronde van Vlaanderen.: 1987
- Clásica San Sebastián: 1983
- Waalse Pijl: 1985 en 1989
- Grote Prijs Eddy Merckx: 1984
- Brabantse Pijl: 1982
- WK Barcelona: 1984
- Belgian Championship: 1990
- Belgian sportsman of the year: 1984
Since 2015, in the bend on the Wall of Huy, finishing point of the Flèche Wallonne that Criquielion won in 1985 and 1989, there has been a monument that commemorates his achievements and the impact he had on cycling.
The Claude Criquielion Grand Prize has also existed since 1991, the first winner was Claude himself.
Another fact: his son, Mathieu, followed in his footsteps and later became a professional cyclist himself at Landbouwkrediet-Colnago.
Claude Criquielion overleed op 18 februari 2015 in Aalst, België aan de gevolgen van een hersenbloeding.
