Claude Criquielion (born 11 January 1957 in Lessines, Hainaut) is a former 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.
Criquielion was well placed to win a medal in the 1988 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.
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.
Read more about Claude Criquielion: Palmarès
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“I was so angry to realize I’m a Quebecois, with no past, no history, just two cans of maple syrup.”
—Jean Claude Lauzon (b. 1954)