Claude Criquelion (1957-2015)

[Md3000]

Perhaps not a household name in the States but a great Belgian champion passed away this morning after suffering a severe stroke and subsequent 2 day coma.

"A professional road racer between 1979 to 1991, his finest hour was winning the world championship rainbow jersey in 1984 at Barcelona.

He was hospitalised overnight on Monday when he was described to be in a "critical condition" and never recovered.

He nearly added a second title in 1988, at Renaix in his homeland, when he was leading a sprint finish down the stretch only to be knocked over by Canadian Steve Bauer, which allowed Italian Maurizio Fondriest to go on and unexpectedly take the world title.

Criquielion, whose best finish in the Tour de France was fifth in 1986, also won the Belgian championship in 1990 as well as the 1987 Tour of Flanders, the San Sebastian Classic in 1983 and Fleche Wallone races in 1985 and 1989.

He later turned to a life in politics, notably as an assistant to the mayor of Lessines, and was responsible for sport."


The image of Criquelion walking over the finish line with his broken bike after being clipped by Bauer is an iconic image in Belgian cycling forever. RIP!


http://dekoers.be/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/criq_ronse.jpg

http://1.nieuwsbladcdn.be/Assets/Images_Upload/2015/02/18/9d558504-b763-11e4-b454-26ac304815fd_web_scale_0.0673552_0.0673552__.jpg

[Dr Luxurious]

dang.
another of my bike heroes gone.

[David Kirk]

Very sad - that guy was awesome on the bike.

dave

[wallymann]

i personally thing its a shame that he's always remembered for that crash in 1988...he'd already won a world title in 1984!!!

i prefer to remember him for his notable wins: World Champion, Belgian Champion, Tour of Flanders, Fleche Wallone.

rest in peace, claude

https://www.webtrainer.com/public/upload/image/1276614223110.jpg
http://cdn.velonews.competitor.com/files/2012/04/amstel_3-598x440.jpg
https://scontent-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10997504_10152873120178369_2920675975997358330_n.j pg?oh=b902c38185b068c631d4d187c592bf3b&oe=558D5AB0

[enr1co]

Along with his notable wins, dude was always seen mixing it up in the top bunch. RIP Mr C.
http://cdn.velonews.competitor.com/files/2012/04/lbl_4-546x440.jpg

[lhuerta]

in honor of Claude...a pic of my old Merckx Hitachi.

[54ny77]

Wow, sad. RIP.

I used to have a poster of him on my wall as a kid.

What a rider. So young still.

[fiamme red]

He was one of the giants of the last years of an era when bikes and team jerseys were still beautiful, and all the best riders rode the World Championships and Classics as well as the Grand Tours. RIP.

I always loved those blue Splendor bikes and jerseys.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zJct9xWK8Oc/UuvOd3N0EYI/AAAAAAAATwU/lG0JxSQX54I/s1600/Criq.jpg

[thwart]

https://scontent-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10997504_10152873120178369_2920675975997358330_n.j pg?oh=b902c38185b068c631d4d187c592bf3b&oe=558D5AB0[/CENTER]

Love that pic.

Classic 80's cycling.

Pre-doping era.

[54ny77]

Maresi shoes.

Those were the bees knees.

Boy was that a fine day when I saved up enough $ to buy a pair. No more cheapo Duegi's or Beta's!

Love that pic.

Classic 80's cycling.

Pre-doping era.

[Md3000]

i personally dislike that he's always remembered for that crash in 1988...he'd already won a world title in 1984!!!

Totally agree Wally, but someone wins the World Championship every year, but to lose it in such a dramatic fashion makes it a truly memorable moment. I don't think anyone sees him as a 'loser'. I remember vividly seeing that moment on TV as a kid, but just realized this morning that the bike he rode is the same one as I have right now :)

[wallymann]

Pre-doping era.

they doped, but it hadnt yet gone "nuclear" yet.

claude was pure class, even being a walloon he earned the respect of flanders -- a true flahute hard-man if ever there was one.

[MattTuck]

I didn't know this guy, before my time I guess. But I appreciate you guys for posting it and reminiscing... there is so much history to cycling. And I like coming here to pick up on some of it.

[ElvisMerckx]

A complete rider. He could win classics and hang with the climbers. Farewell, Claude!

[saab2000]

I attended the 1986 World Championship road race in Colorado Springs. He raced and I have a picture somewhere but it's not in digital form. I'll remember him as one of the icons of 1980s pro racing.

[Black Dog]

He was a real scrapper. Smart rider and always punched above his weight. I loved that he would be clean shaven on the bottom of a climb and have a 5 O'clock shadow at the summit and a beard at the bottom of the descent.

[bikingshearer]

they doped, but it hadnt yet gone "nuclear" yet.

claude was pure class, even being a walloon he earned the respect of flanders -- a true flahute hard-man if ever there was one.

A high compliment, and well deserved.

And you are right about the doping. That, unfortunately, is as old as cycle racing itself.

[fiamme red]

Great account of how Roche and Criquielion lost L-B-L in 1987:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/1987-liege-bastogne-liege-161#

[enr1co]

Great account of how Roche and Criquielion lost L-B-L in 1987:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/1987-liege-bastogne-liege-161#

The uncropped Graham Watson pic:

http://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2010/04/WATSON_GEWISS_00001644_9801.jpg

[Peter P.]

He was a real scrapper. Smart rider and always punched above his weight. I loved that he would be clean shaven on the bottom of a climb and have a 5 O'clock shadow at the summit and a beard at the bottom of the descent.

That was funny, and true!

I had a drill sergeant who would chew out recruits who appeared to not have stepped close enough to their razors. Sgt. Gouviea would claim his beard grew so fast he had to shave twice a day...

[whforrest]

I also remember him hammering off the front in the mountains of the Tour de France! A real complete rider. Every time you saw him in a race he looked like he was in immense pain! Too young, seems like many pro cyclists don't live long. Maybe just a perception. Fignon, now him. The last of a breed of cyclists who could do it all


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[whforrest]

For those of you that didn't know this guy he represented everything that was glorious about cycling. Part of the culture that inspired so many forum riders to still ride today


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[marciero]

Thanks for the posts and pictures, guys. I remember vaguely hearing of Claude Criquelion going back to when I first started following cycling 15 years ago, but is great to get a better sense of the man and the spirit of the times in which he rode.

[ntb1001]

Being Canadian and a Steve Bauer fan makes it hard to like his career. Bauer could've very well won that world's and then was sued by Criquelion and dragged through the courts for years then finally getting cleared.

[tiretrax]

Being Canadian and a Steve Bauer fan makes it hard to like his career. Bauer could've very well won that world's and then was sued by Criquelion and dragged through the courts for years then finally getting cleared.

Rouleur had a great interview with Roche that was posted yesterday. Roche discussed Criquelion's travails, including their loss at L-B-L and the lawsuits. Roche had a good perspective on things.

[wallymann]

Rouleur had a great interview with Roche that was posted yesterday. Roche discussed Criquelion's travails, including their loss at L-B-L and the lawsuits. Roche had a good perspective on things.

Roche interview. http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/02/roche-pays-tribute-to-criquielion-we-saw-him-as-being-a-gentleman-racer/

Being Canadian and a Steve Bauer fan makes it hard to like his career. Bauer could've very well won that world's and then was sued by Criquelion and dragged through the courts for years then finally getting cleared.

Fww ... watch the final of that worlds. Bauer *clearly* impeded Claudy with his elbow and swerved into his line. Acts of despiration as Bauer was going to get flicked out of the win, just like Alexi did to him in the LA Olympic RR. A DQ was merited. Unfortunately there are no do-overs in road racing so the results stand. Dragging into the courts was a mistake on Claudy's part

[saab2000]

Thanks for that link! Great article!

[Beldar77]

He was a real scrapper. Smart rider and always punched above his weight. I loved that he would be clean shaven on the bottom of a climb and have a 5 O'clock shadow at the summit and a beard at the bottom of the descent.

I love it.