Claude Criquielion Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Claude Criquielion

Criquielion in 2014

Personal information

Full name

Claude Criquielion

Born

11 January 1957
Lessines, Belgium

Died

18 February 2015 (aged 58)
Aalst, Belgium

Team information

Current team

Retired

Discipline

Road

Role

Rider

Major wins

Stage races

Tour de Romandie (1986)

One-day races and Classics

World Road Race Championships (1984)

National Road Race Championships (1990)

La Flèche Wallonne (1985, 1989)

Tour of Flanders (1987)

Clásica de San Sebastián (1983)

Claude Criquielion (born January 11, 1957 – died February 18, 2015) was a professional Belgian road cyclist. He competed in races from 1979 to 1990. In 1984, Criquielion became the world road race champion. He won this title in Barcelona, Spain, on a very tough course. He also finished in the top ten five times in the famous Tour de France race.

In 1988, Criquielion was close to winning a medal at the world road race championship in Belgium. However, he had an accident near the finish line. Another rider, Steve Bauer from Canada, bumped into him. Because of this, a third rider, Maurizio Fondriest, ended up winning the race. Bauer was later disqualified from the race.

After his racing career, Criquielion stayed involved in cycling. He worked as a directeur sportif (a team manager) for the Lotto–Adecco team from 2000 to 2004. His son, Mathieu Criquielion, became a professional cyclist in 2005. At that time, Claude Criquielion became the manager for his son's team, Landbouwkrediet-Colnago.

From 2006 until he passed away, Criquielion was an alderman (a local government official) for the MR political party in his hometown of Lessines.

Claude Criquielion suffered a stroke during the night of February 15-16, 2015. He was taken to the hospital in a serious condition. He sadly passed away on February 18, 2015, in a hospital in Aalst.