Claude Criquielion

Claude Criquielion, born on January 11, 1957, was a distinguished Belgian professional road bicycle racer whose career spanned from 1979 to 1990. He achieved remarkable success, most notably becoming the world road race champion in 1984 in Barcelona, Spain, on a challenging course. Throughout his career, Criquielion secured five top-ten finishes in the prestigious Tour de France, showcasing his exceptional talent and determination.

In 1988, Criquielion was poised for another significant achievement at the world road race championship held in Belgium. However, his hopes were dashed when he crashed just before the finish line after being pushed into safety barriers by competitor Steve Bauer of Canada, who was subsequently disqualified. This incident led Criquielion to sue Bauer for assault, seeking damages of one million five hundred thousand dollars, a legal battle that lasted over three years before the court ruled in Bauer's favor.

In addition to his racing career, Criquielion faced controversy when he tested positive for Pervitin during the national championship race in 1985, yet he faced no repercussions. This incident prompted the resignation of the head of the laboratory at Ghent University, who protested against the handling of the case.

After retiring from competitive cycling, Criquielion took on the role of directeur sportif for the Lotto–Adecco team from 2000 to 2004. He also became the manager of the Landbouwkrediet-Colnago team, where his son, Mathieu Criquielion, turned professional in 2005. From 2006 until his passing, he served as an alderman for the liberal MR in Lessines.

Tragically, on the night of February 15-16, 2015, Criquielion suffered a cerebrovascular accident and was hospitalized in critical condition. He passed away on February 18, 2015, at 9:00 AM in a hospital in Aalst. His legacy is honored with a monument at Mur de Huy on the route of La Flèche Wallonne in Huy, Belgium.