Critérium International

{{Short description|French multi-day road cycling race}}

{{for|the thoroughbred horse race|Critérium International (horse race)}}

{{more citations needed|date=March 2012}}

{{Infobox cycling race

| name = Critérium International

| current_event =

| image = 200px

| date = Late March

| region = Ardennes, France (Until 2009)
Corsica, France (2010–2016)

| english = International Criterium

| localnames = Critérium International {{in lang|fr}}

| nickname =

| discipline = Road

| competition = UCI Europe Tour

| type = Stage race

| organiser = Amaury Sport Organisation

| director =

| first = {{start date|1932}}

| number = 85 (as of 2016)

| last = 2016

| firstwinner = {{flagathlete|Léon Le Calvez|FRA}}

| mostwins = {{flagathlete|Émile Idée|FRA}}
{{flagathlete|Raymond Poulidor|FRA}}
{{flagathlete|Jens Voigt|GER}}

:5 wins

| mostrecent = {{flagathlete|Thibaut Pinot|FRA}}

}}

The Critérium International was a two-day bicycle stage race held in France every spring from 1932 until 2016, typically the last weekend of March. It was formerly known as the Critérium National de la Route, first run in 1932. For many years it was considered a sort of French national championship and was finally opened to non–French cyclists in 1979. Bernard Hinault is the only cyclist to win the race in both its forms. The race has been won by some of the most famous names in cycling, including Jacques Anquetil, Sean Kelly, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Induráin, Stephen Roche, Joop Zoetemelk, Laurent Fignon, Jens Voigt, Cadel Evans and Chris Froome.

History and route

The Critérium International is one of the few races in cycling, apart from the three Grand Tours, with no fixed attachment to a region. Upon its creation in 1932, it was held as a one-day race in the Vallée de Chevreuse, finishing in the Parc des Princes velodrome in Paris. From 1941 to 1943, two races were organized each year: one in Nazi-occupied France and one in the free French State. As of 1959, the race location changed every year. The edition of 1960 took place in Oran in French Algeria. From 1963 to 1966 the Critérium was held as a stage race for the first time, and again ever since 1978.

From 2001 to 2009 the race was organized in the Ardennes with all stages starting and finishing in or around Charleville-Mézières.{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2006/mar06/critint06/default|title=75th Critérium International}} In 2010 the race moved to the island of Corsica, around the coastal city of Porto-Vecchio. In 2014 the ASO agreed a deal to extend the race's stay until at least 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.letour.fr/criterium-international/2014/us/post-race/news/ahc/criterium-international-to-stay-in-porto-vecchio-in-2015-and-2016.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150320101646/http://www.letour.fr/criterium-international/2014/us/post-race/news/ahc/criterium-international-to-stay-in-porto-vecchio-in-2015-and-2016.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2015-03-20|title=Critérium International to stay in Porto-Vecchio in 2015 and 2016|work=Critérium International 2014}} Because of its challenging route and usually mild weather conditions in early spring, the Critérium International is often contended by many general classification riders in their build-up towards the Grand Tours, notably the Tour de France.

November 18, 2016 the ASO announced that it would no longer organise the two-day event, ending its 85-year run.{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/aso-announces-end-of-criterium-international/ |title=ASO announces end of Criterium International |work=Cyclingnews.com}}

=1997 horse incident=

In 1997, a horse jumped over a fence and joined the peloton, eventually passing it, leaving the race only 20 km from the finish line.{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/letters/?id=2003/may08letters#Horse|title=www.cyclingnews.com news and analysis|work=cyclingnews.com}} This scene was shown briefly in the movie Amélie, and is often mistaken for a scene from a Tour de France race.

Winners

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size|95%"
#ccccff;"

| style="background:#ccc;"| Year

| style="background:#ccc;"| Winner

| style="background:#ccc;"| Second

| style="background:#ccc;"| Third

colspan="4;" style="text-align:center;"|Critérium National de la Route
1932

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Léon Le Calvez

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Magne

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Maurice Archambaud

1933

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Leducq

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Georges Speicher

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Bidot

1934

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Lapébie

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jules Merviel

| {{flagicon|FRA}} René Le Grevès

1935

| {{flagicon|FRA}} René Le Grevès

| {{flagicon|FRA}} René Vietto

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Antonin Magne

1936

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Paul Chocque

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Fernand Mithouard

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Arthur Debruyckere

1937

| colspan=2|{{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Lapébie and
{{flagicon|FRA}} René Le Grevès

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Cloarec

1938

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Jaminet

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Cloarec

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Sauveur Ducazeaux

1939

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Deforge

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Marcel Laurent

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Jaminet

1940

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Émile Idée

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Desmoulins

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Deforge

1941Zone occupée

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Yvan Marie

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Desmoulins

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Albert Goutal

1941Zone libre

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Benoît Faure

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Cogan

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Aldo Bertocco

1942

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Émile Idée

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Louviot

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Guégan

1942

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Aldo Bertocco

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Joseph Soffietti

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Marcel Laurent

1943

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Émile Idée

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Georges Blum

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Guégan

1943

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louis Gauthier

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Émile Rol

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Deforge

1944

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Piel

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louis Thiétard

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Aimable Denhez

1945

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jo Goutorbe

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Manuel Huguet

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Émile Idée

1946

| colspan=2|{{flagicon|FRA}} Kleber Piot and
{{flagicon|FRA}} Camille Danguillaume

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Lucien Boda

1947

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Émile Idée

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Emile Carrara

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Urbain Caffi

1948

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Camille Danguillaume

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Émile Idée

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Victor Pernac

1949

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Émile Idée

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Lucas

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Antonin Rolland

1950

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Barbotin

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Guy Lapebie

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louis Déprez

1951

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louison Bobet

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Barbotin

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Desbats

1952

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louison Bobet

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Varnajo

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Bernard Gauthier

1953

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Desbats

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Dupont

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Gilbert Loof

1954

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Hassenforder

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raoul Rémy

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Bernard Gauthier

1955

| {{flagicon|FRA}} René Privat

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Molineris

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Bernard Gauthier

1956

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Hassenforder

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louis Caput

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Forestier

1957

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Forestier

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Louison Bobet

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Serge Blusson

1958

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Hassenforder

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raphaël Géminiani

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Claude Colette

1959

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Darrigade

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Fernand Picot

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Graczyk

1960

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Graczyk

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Claude Colette

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Anquetil

1961

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Anquetil

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Darrigade

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Gainche

1962

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Joseph Groussard

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Claude Annaert

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Anatole Novak

1963

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Anquetil

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Poulidor

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Joseph Velly

1964

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Poulidor

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Edouard Delberghe

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Joseph Novales

1965

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Anquetil

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Poulidor

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Claude Annaert

1966

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Poulidor

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Pingeon

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Claude Lebaube

1967

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Anquetil

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Poulidor

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Delisle

1968

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Poulidor

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Jourden

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roger Pingeon

1969

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Gilbert Bellone

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Delisle

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Georges Chappe

1970

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Georges Chappe

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Lucien Aimar

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roland Berland

1971

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Poulidor

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Gilbert Bellone

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Daniel Ducreux

1972

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Poulidor

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Alain Santy

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Luc Molinéris

1973

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Pierre Danguillaume

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Alain Santy

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Mollet

1974

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Bernard Thévenet

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Christian Raymond

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Delisle

1975

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Esclassan

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Corbeau

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Chassang

1976

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Patrick Béon

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Yves Hézard

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Martin

1977

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean Chassang

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Delisle

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Roland Berland

1978

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Bernard Hinault

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Michel Laurent

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Yves Hézard

colspan="4;" style="text-align:center;"|Critérium International
1979

| {{flagicon|NED}} Joop Zoetemelk

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Bernard Hinault

| {{flagicon|SWE}} Sven-Åke Nilsson

1980

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Michel Laurent

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-René Bernaudeau

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Régis Ovion

1981

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Bernard Hinault

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Bossis

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Régis Clère

1982

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Laurent Fignon

| {{flagicon|FRA}} André Chappuis

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Marcel Tinazzi

1983

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Seán Kelly

| {{flagicon|SUI}} Jean-Marie Grezet

| {{flagicon|NED}} Joop Zoetemelk

1984

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Seán Kelly

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pascal Simon

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Stephen Roche

1985

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Stephen Roche

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Charly Berard

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Seán Kelly

1986

| {{flagicon|SUI}} Urs Zimmermann

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Seán Kelly

| {{flagicon|USA}} Greg LeMond

1987

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Seán Kelly

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Stephen Roche

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pascal Simon

1988

| {{flagicon|NED}} Erik Breukink

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Laurent Fignon

| {{flagicon|GBR}} Robert Millar

1989

| {{flagicon|ESP}} Miguel Induráin

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Charly Mottet

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Stephen Roche

1990

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Laurent Fignon

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Gilles Delion

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Claude Leclercq

1991

| {{flagicon|IRL}} Stephen Roche

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Gérard Rué

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Charly Mottet

1992

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-François Bernard

| {{flagicon|NED}} Gert-Jan Theunisse

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Giorgio Furlan

1993

| {{flagicon|NED}} Erik Breukink

| {{flagicon|SUI}} Tony Rominger

| {{flagicon|SUI}} Alex Zülle

1994

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Giorgio Furlan

| {{flagicon|SUI}} Tony Rominger

| {{flagicon|RUS}} Evgueni Berzin

1995

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Laurent Jalabert

| {{flagicon|RUS}} Vladislav Bobrik

| {{flagicon|RUS}} Evgueni Berzin

1996

| {{flagicon|GBR}} Chris Boardman

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Michele Coppolillo

| {{flagicon|SUI}} Mauro Gianetti

1997

| {{flagicon|ESP}} Marcelino García

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Laurent Jalabert

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pascal Lino

1998

| {{flagicon|USA}} Bobby Julich

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Davide Rebellin

| {{flagicon|DEN}} Bo Hamburger

1999

| {{flagicon|GER}} Jens Voigt

| {{flagicon|GBR}} David Millar

| {{flagicon|KAZ}} Andrei Teteriouk

2000

| {{flagicon|ESP}} Abraham Olano

| {{flagicon|ESP}} Juan Carlos Domínguez

| {{flagicon|KAZ}} Alexander Vinokourov

2001

| {{flagicon|BEL}} Rik Verbrugghe

| {{flagicon|ESP}} José Alberto Martínez

| {{flagicon|GER}} Jens Voigt

2002

| {{flagicon|ESP}} José Alberto Martínez

| {{flagicon|USA}} Lance Armstrong*

| {{flagicon|FRA}} David Moncoutié

2003

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Laurent Brochard

| {{flagicon|GER}} Jens Voigt

| {{flagicon|FRA}} David Moncoutié

2004

| {{flagicon|GER}} Jens Voigt

| {{flagicon|ESP}} José Iván Gutiérrez

| {{flagicon|USA}} Lance Armstrong*

2005

| {{flagicon|USA}} Bobby Julich

| {{flagicon|NED}} Thomas Dekker

| {{flagicon|GER}} Jörg Jaksche

2006

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Ivan Basso

| {{flagicon|NED}} Erik Dekker

| {{flagicon|UKR}} Andriy Hrivko

2007

| {{flagicon|GER}} Jens Voigt

| {{flagicon|SWE}} Thomas Lövkvist

| {{flagicon|ESP}} Alejandro Valverde

2008

| {{flagicon|GER}} Jens Voigt

| {{flagicon|SWE}} Gustav Larsson

| {{flagicon|ESP}} Luis León Sánchez

2009

| {{flagicon|GER}} Jens Voigt

| {{flagicon|CSK}} František Raboň

| {{flagicon|USA}} Danny Pate

2010

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierrick Fédrigo

| {{flagicon|AUS}} Michael Rogers

| {{flagicon|POR}} Tiago Machado

2011

| {{flagicon|LUX}} Fränk Schleck

| {{flagicon|BLR}} Vasil Kiryienka

| {{flagicon|EST}} Rein Taaramäe

2012

| {{flagicon|AUS}} Cadel Evans

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierrick Fédrigo

| {{flagicon|AUS}} Michael Rogers

2013

| {{flagicon|GBR}} Chris Froome

| {{flagicon|AUS}} Richie Porte

| {{flagicon|USA}} Tejay van Garderen

2014

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Christophe Péraud

| {{flagicon|SUI}} Mathias Frank

| {{flagicon|POR}} Tiago Machado

2015

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Christophe Péraud

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Thibaut Pinot

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Fabio Felline

2016

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Thibaut Pinot

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Latour

| {{flagicon|NED}} Sam Oomen

*Results later voided for doping infringements

= Multiple winners =

Riders in italic are still active.

class="wikitable"

! Wins

! Rider

! Editions

align=center rowspan= 3 | 5{{flagathlete|Émile Idée|FRA}}1940 + 1942 + 1943 + 1947 + 1949
{{flagathlete|Raymond Poulidor|FRA}}1964 + 1966 + 1968 + 1971 + 1972
{{flagathlete|Jens Voigt|GER}}1999 + 2004 + 2007 + 2008 + 2009
align=center | 4{{flagathlete|Jacques Anquetil|FRA}}1961 + 1963 + 1965 + 1967
align=center rowspan= 2 | 3{{flagathlete|Roger Hassenforder|FRA}}1954 + 1956 + 1958
{{flagathlete|Seán Kelly|IRL}}1983 + 1984 + 1987
align=center rowspan= 9 | 2{{flagathlete|Roger Lapébie|FRA}}1934 + 1937
{{flagathlete|Camille Danguillaume|FRA}}1946 + 1948
{{flagathlete|Louison Bobet|FRA}}1951 + 1952
{{flagathlete|Bernard Hinault|FRA}}1978 + 1981
{{flagathlete|Laurent Fignon|FRA}}1982 + 1990
{{flagathlete|Stephen Roche|IRL}}1985 + 1991
{{flagathlete|Erik Breukink|NED}}1988 + 1993
{{flagathlete|Bobby Julich|USA}}1998 + 2005
{{flagathlete|Jean-Christophe Péraud|FRA}}2014 + 2015

=Wins per country=

class="wikitable"

! Wins

! Country

{{center| 58}}{{flagu|France}}
{{center| 5}}{{IRL}}, {{flagu|Germany}}
{{center| 4}}{{flagu|Spain}}
{{center| 3}}{{flagu|Netherlands}}
{{center| 2}}{{flagu|Italy}}, {{flagu|United States}}, {{flagu|United Kingdom}}
{{center| 1}}{{flagu|Australia}}, {{flagu|Belgium}}, {{LUX}}, {{flagu|Switzerland}}

References