• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

What would happen IF.....

Aug 4, 2009
1,056
1
0
Visit site
I really, really don't understand criteriums.

Them things that every one attacks on every corner and you go round and round until dizzy. most have a go at breaking away then someone who you have not seen all race sprints and wins.
 
Jun 19, 2009
5,220
0
0
Visit site
BrindSurch said:
you wouldn't get paid so would have been a waste of time.....and probs wouldn't at any more

The locals might buy drinks and you could meet some eligible ladies. In the end; if you win big races-that's the payoff. Tomorrow everyone forgets...
 
Mar 17, 2009
1,863
0
0
Visit site
Criteriums in France, Belgium & Holland are part of the rich tradition of the sport. They date back to when there was no TV coverage because there was no TV! So it was the only chance to see the stars of the Tour. Now that we can see the Tour live in colour they seem an anacronism. Enjoy them for what they are, a throwback to the days of Bobet, Anquetil, Merckx & to a degree Hinault.
 
Apr 8, 2010
329
0
0
Visit site
ultimobici said:
Criteriums in France, Belgium & Holland are part of the rich tradition of the sport. They date back to when there was no TV coverage because there was no TV! So it was the only chance to see the stars of the Tour. Now that we can see the Tour live in colour they seem an anacronism.
If this was true, then nobody would go to watch the Tour by the side of the road - and there's an awful lot more people do that than go to watch crits. There's clearly more to 'being there' than you get from watching the TV - the chance to see riders 'in the flesh' and the spectacle of all those guys in lycra whizzing past at speed.
 
May 26, 2009
3,687
2
0
Visit site
It's not a crit! It's a kermiskoers!

That roughly translates to: Carnival-course. So it's beer, attractions for kids, maybe a local popstar/popband performing all around a spectacular cycling event. Because they are spectacular even if rigged :)
 
May 6, 2009
8,522
1
0
Visit site
They had a punishing schedule 'back in the day', I remember reading an article with Barry Hoban and he mentioned the post-Tour crits and the amount of driving he and a fellow rider would make as they drove around Northern France and Belgium, every single day. Plus doing track races as well as the crits (often on the same day). And did they ever take it easy? Not on your life, they didn't get that easy as they had to preform (or at least BS enough to make it look that way) or they didn't get paid. But they put up for it for a few weeks as that's where they made most of their money for the year.
 

TRENDING THREADS