The Critérium des As (Race of the Aces) was a cycle race that was generally held at the end of the season, with entry by invitation only, for the leading riders of the season. Competitors rode behind pacers on tandems or motorcycles. It was held from 1921 until 1990, mostly in Paris, France but also in Switzerland and Holland.[1] The last Critérium des As was held in 1990 and was replaced by the Roue d'Or des As the following year.[1][2]
In 1920 the Critérium de la résistance was run from Bordeaux to Paris (Longchamp) and back to Bordeaux, and is regarded as the forerunner of Critérium des As. The 1,208 kilometres (751 mi) paced event was won by Louis Mottiat of Belgium, in 56 hours and 48 minutes.[2]
In 1921 the best riders of the season were invited to enter the Critérium des As, 27 laps of a 3.63 km circuit around Longchamp. They rode alone except for pacers who helped on occasional laps, not being fast enough to last longer.[2][3]
Crowds of up to 6,000 watched in the years before the World War II.[3] The individual pacers were replaced by tandems, triplets, motorcycles and finally specialist Derny lightweight motorcycles in 1947. René de Latour, a journalist who organised the race in 1943, when the inside of the circuit included flak guns to defend the Renault factory in Boulogne-Billancourt, said:
The tandems gave more shelter and the race became more and more spectacular. Each of the selected riders had four or five tandems at his disposal, and it was a lovely sight to see the relieving tandem taking over from the 'double' that had just completed its allotted spell. If you talk to the older bike fans, they will tell you regretfully that racing was really beautiful to watch in the days of tandem-pacing and that nothing had ever really replaced them. I must say that I think that way, too." René de Latour[3]
^James, Tom (2003), "Critérium des As", VeloArchive, Slough: veloarchive.com
January 20, 2023
critérium, race, aces, cycle, race, that, generally, held, season, with, entry, invitation, only, leading, riders, season, competitors, rode, behind, pacers, tandems, motorcycles, held, from, 1921, until, 1990, mostly, paris, france, also, switzerland, holland. The Criterium des As Race of the Aces was a cycle race that was generally held at the end of the season with entry by invitation only for the leading riders of the season Competitors rode behind pacers on tandems or motorcycles It was held from 1921 until 1990 mostly in Paris France but also in Switzerland and Holland 1 The last Criterium des As was held in 1990 and was replaced by the Roue d Or des As the following year 1 2 Criterium des AsRace detailsEnglish nameRace of the AcesDisciplineRoadHistoryFirst edition1921 1921 Editions61Final edition1990First winnerPhilippe ThysMost winsRik Van Steenbergen 5 wins Final winnerGilbert Duclos Lassalle Contents 1 History 2 Winners 3 Notes 4 ReferencesHistory EditIn 1920 the Criterium de la resistance was run from Bordeaux to Paris Longchamp and back to Bordeaux and is regarded as the forerunner of Criterium des As The 1 208 kilometres 751 mi paced event was won by Louis Mottiat of Belgium in 56 hours and 48 minutes 2 In 1921 the best riders of the season were invited to enter the Criterium des As 27 laps of a 3 63 km circuit around Longchamp They rode alone except for pacers who helped on occasional laps not being fast enough to last longer 2 3 Crowds of up to 6 000 watched in the years before the World War II 3 The individual pacers were replaced by tandems triplets motorcycles and finally specialist Derny lightweight motorcycles in 1947 Rene de Latour a journalist who organised the race in 1943 when the inside of the circuit included flak guns to defend the Renault factory in Boulogne Billancourt said The tandems gave more shelter and the race became more and more spectacular Each of the selected riders had four or five tandems at his disposal and it was a lovely sight to see the relieving tandem taking over from the double that had just completed its allotted spell If you talk to the older bike fans they will tell you regretfully that racing was really beautiful to watch in the days of tandem pacing and that nothing had ever really replaced them I must say that I think that way too Rene de Latour 3 The most prolific winner was Rik Van Steenbergen of Belgium with five wins 4 Winners EditYear Location Winner Second Third1921 Longchamp Philippe Thys Rene Vermandel Henri Pelissier1922 Longchamp Rene Vermandel Jean Alavoine Romain Bellenger1923 Longchamp Jules Van Hevel Romain Bellenger Maurice Brocco1924 Longchamp Jules Van Hevel Heiri Suter Henri Pelissier1925 Longchamp Achille Souchard Hector Martin Romain Bellenger1926 Longchamp Henri Pelissier Gabriel Marcillac Charles Lacquehay1927 Longchamp Gabriel Marcillac Henri Pelissier Hector Martin1928 Longchamp Charles Lacquehay Gerard Debaets Lucien Choury1929 Longchamp Georges Wambst Armand Blanchonnet Charles Lacquehay1930 Longchamp Camille Foucaux Henri Lemoine Andre Mouton1931 Longchamp Jean Marechal Henri Lemoine Georges Wambst1932 Longchamp Ernest Terreau Georges Wambst Jean Marechal1933 Longchamp Charles Pelissier Romain Gijssels Ernest Terreau1934 Longchamp Andre Leducq Charles Pelissier Julien Moineau1935 Longchamp Ernest Terreau Edgard De Caluwe Romain Gijssels1936 Longchamp Ernest Terreau Rene Debenne Maurice Richard1937 Longchamp Georges Paillard Paul Chocque Victor Cosson1938 Longchamp Gerrit Schulte Rene Debenne Cesare Moretti Jr 1939 1942 No race1943 Longchamp Raoul Lesueur Joseph Somers Maurice Clautier1944 1946 No race1947 Longchamp Emile Carrara Emile Idee Lucien Teisseire1948 Longchamp Rik Van Steenbergen Apo Lazarides Louis Caput1949 Longchamp Louison Bobet Fausto Coppi Wim van Est1950 Longchamp Louison Bobet Stan Ockers Robert Varnajo1951 Longchamp Hugo Koblet Rik Van Steenbergen Louison Bobet1952 Longchamp Rik Van Steenbergen Louison Bobet Andre Darrigade1953 Longchamp Louison Bobet Stan Ockers Ferdi Kubler1954 Longchamp Louison Bobet Jacques Anquetil Ferdi Kubler1955 Longchamp Rik Van Steenbergen Miguel Poblet Stan Ockers1956 Longchamp Bernard Gauthier Rik Van Steenbergen Roger Riviere1957 Longchamp Rik Van Steenbergen Andre Darrigade Louison Bobet1958 Longchamp Rik Van Steenbergen Andre Darrigade Raphael Geminiani1959 Longchamp Jacques Anquetil Rik Van Steenbergen Jean Bobet1960 Longchamp Jacques Anquetil Andre Darrigade Rik Van Looy1961 Longchamp Rik Van Looy Rik Van Steenbergen Andre Darrigade1962 Longchamp Rudi Altig Rik Van Steenbergen Andre Darrigade1963 Longchamp Jacques Anquetil Tom Simpson Rik Van Looy1964 Longchamp Peter Post Edward Sels Jacques Anquetil1965 Longchamp Jacques Anquetil Jan Janssen Rudi Altig1966 Longchamp Gerben Karstens Felice Gimondi Raymond Poulidor1967 Lac Daumesnil Eddy Merckx Jacques Anquetil Felice Gimondi1968 Le Havre Felice Gimondi Raymond Poulidor Ole Ritter1969 Le Havre Walter Godefroot Raymond Delisle Julien Stevens1970 Lac Daumesnil Eddy Merckx Herman Van Springel Lucien Aimar1971 No race1972 Felletin Raymond Poulidor Bernard Thevenet Walter Godefroot1973 Tilburg NL Gerben Karstens Felice Gimondi Eddy Merckx1974 Nogaro Eddy Merckx Freddy Maertens Gerben Karstens1975 Belfort Roger De Vlaeminck Herman Van Springel Freddy Maertens1976 Valkenburg NL Freddy Maertens Eddy Merckx Gerben Karstens1977 Chateaulin Francesco Moser Herman Van Springel Ronald De Witte1978 Orchies Michel Laurent Jan Raas Herman Van Springel1979 La Defense Joop Zoetemelk Daniel Willems Bernard Hinault1980 La Defense Joop Zoetemelk Herman Van Springel Patrick Hosotte1981 La Defense Daniel Willems Herman Van Springel Stephen Roche1982 La Defense Bernard Hinault Sean Kelly Alain Bondue1983 Geneve Sui Greg LeMond Pascal Poisson Sean Kelly1984 Montreuil sous Bois Sean Kelly Jean Luc Vandenbroucke Claude Criquielion1985 Montreuil sous Bois Sean Kelly Eric Vanderaerden Claude Criquielion1986 Montreuil sous Bois Sean Kelly Adrie van der Poel Acacio da Silva1987 Montreuil sous Bois Charly Mottet Eric Vanderaerden Sean Kelly1988 Montreuil sous Bois Claude Criquielion Sean Kelly Pascal Poisson1989 Port Leucate Laurent Fignon Sean Kelly Eric Caritoux1990 Lac Daumesnil Gilbert Duclos Lassalle Charly Mottet Laurent FignonNotes EditReferences Edit a b Memoire du Cyclisme Results Archived June 26 2008 at the Wayback Machine a b c Velo Archive Criterium des As a b c Sporting Cyclist UK undated cutting James Tom 2003 Criterium des As VeloArchive Slough veloarchive com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Criterium des As amp oldid 1127026329, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
