Ironically, Tom Boonen bested Robbie McEwen in the 2nd Na Tour Broker Criterium in the Netherlands yesterday. After two and a half weeks of futility in the Tour, Tom was finally able to come up BIG against the grating Aussie, and by BIG I mean insignificant and meaningless. I wonder why Tom just didn't have it in the Tour when it really counted.

2nd Na Tour Broker Criterium - NE
Diksmuide, Belgium, July 25, 2006

Results
1 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep
2 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Davitamon - Lotto
3 Axel Merckx (Bel) Phonak

Past winners
2005 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep

FYI, the results in these criteriums are typically fixed. When has Merckx ever finished 3rd in what was most likely a bunch sprint?

Not surprising in that Tom is so well rested compared to Robbie.

these are fixed, if the organizers wanted you to win, you could outsprint Boonen and McEwen. There's a lot of money in starting these, notice they don't have any UCI points. They are more exhibition races so the locals can see the stars of the Tour.

these are fixed, if the organizers wanted you to win, you could outsprint Boonen and McEwen. There's a lot of money in starting these, notice they don't have any UCI points. They are more exhibition races so the locals can see the stars of the Tour.


Fixed?!? Like wrestling?? At least Wrestling had the balls to admit up it is fixed.

The post-tour criteriums have been fixed since --- for a long time, at least.

Everyone knows it.

I don't know why they bother to put them up on cyclingnews. The big Tour stars are paid big "appearance fee" money (10,000 - 60,000 euro) to show up for these things. It's just the big names showing off for the fans.

American Criterium racing is something entirely different -- more like mixing a twisty city course with a Belgian Kermesse.

I think that the term 'aranged' is more appropriate. It's mainly for the fans anyhow.
They want to see their hometown Tour heroes, hence these crits is more of a showcase than a proper race.

Learn something new everyday...