Claude Criquielion

Claude Criquielion

Claude Criquielion on the winners podium at the 1984 World Road Cycling Championships

Claude Criquielion born January 11, 1957 is a former professional whose career spanned the years  1979  to 1990. His greatest victories are his 1984 World Road Race Championship won in Barcelona, Spain and his 1990 victory at the Belgium National Cycling Championships. Along with these victories he had 5 top ten finishes in the Tour de France during his professional racing years. 

Claude Criquielion at the finish line of Fleche Wallone in 1985.

In the 1988 World Championship, held in Criquielion's home country of Belgium, he crashed in sight of the finish line while sprinting beside Steve Bauer of Canada. Bauer was disqualified and Maurizio Fondriest won the race. Criquielion filed a law suit for damages against Bauer for 1.5 million dollars. The case lasted more than three years and ended with the judge ruling in Bauer's favor. Below is a video of the finish. The crash in question takes place about 2 minutes into the video.

In recent years Claude Criquielion became the director sportif  of the Lotto-Adecco team from 2000 to 2004. In 2005 he became the manager of the Landbouwkrediet-Colnago team the same year his son, Mathieu Crequielion, turned professional and raced for the same team.