Post-Tour Criteriums

Sure, the exciting post-Tour de France criteriums are still being held across Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands, but remember that they're very much rigged. The most popular riders always win. Not that it makes the spectacle any less impressive for the fans at the races, but it's worth knowing the true nature of the beast.

CyclingNews.com provides an excellent tutorial on the ins-and-outs of the post-Tour crits, written back in 2002. Trust them, nothing has changed.