Critérium international de cross cyclo-pédestre
| Sport | Cycling |
|---|---|
| Competition Category | Unofficial World Championships |
| Years | 1924—1949 |
| Editions | 20 |
| Competitors | 262 |
| Countries | 9 |
As the cyclo-cross form of cycling grew in popularity in the early 20th century, various nations started holding national championships. France was the first in 1902, followed by Belgium (1910), Switzerland (1912) and Luxembourg (1920). As the UCI showed no signs of staging an international championship, this gap was filled by UVF, the French cycling federation, and L’Auto, the same newspaper that had initiated the Tour de France. In 1924 they organised the first Critérium international de cross cyclo-pédestre. It included competitors from the four aforementioned nations, as well as Italy.
These same five nations would deliver the majority of competitors during the 20 editions of the Critérium, although other nations occasionally sent a delegation, notably Spain and the Netherlands. With the exception of the two war-time editions, participation was limited to four competitors per country. 19 editions were held in the vicinity of Paris, with 12 editions on a course near Suresnes, around the Mont Valérien hill.
The Critérium was last held in 1949, and was succeeded in 1950 by the inaugural World Cyclo-Cross Championships.
Editions
| Year | Host City | Country | Held | Events | Competitors | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Suresnes |  FRA |
17 February 1924 | 1 | 16 | 5 |
| 1925 | Suresnes | FRA |
8 February 1925 | 1 | 16 | 5 |
| 1926 | Suresnes | FRA |
7 February 1926 | 1 | 19 | 5 |
| 1928 | Paris | FRA |
5 February 1928 | 1 | 18 | 6 |
| 1929 | Suresnes | FRA |
3 February 1929 | 1 | 20 | 6 |
| 1930 | Suresnes | FRA |
2 February 1930 | 1 | 22 | 7 |
| 1931 | Suresnes | FRA |
8 February 1931 | 1 | 18 | 8 |
| 1932 | Suresnes | FRA |
7 February 1932 | 1 | 22 | 7 |
| 1933 | Suresnes | FRA |
5 February 1933 | 1 | 15 | 5 |
| 1934 | Paris | FRA |
4 February 1934 | 1 | 17 | 6 |
| 1935 | Suresnes | FRA |
3 February 1935 | 1 | 24 | 6 |
| 1936 | Paris | FRA |
9 February 1936 | 1 | 17 | 5 |
| 1937 | Paris | FRA |
7 February 1937 | 1 | 19 | 5 |
| 1938 | Suresnes | FRA |
6 February 1938 | 1 | 19 | 5 |
| 1939 | Suresnes | FRA |
5 February 1939 | 1 | 18 | 5 |
| 1941 | Paris | FRA |
2 March 1941 | 1 | 52 | 2 |
| 1942 | Suresnes | FRA |
8 March 1942 | 1 | 66 | 4 |
| 1947 | Muhlenbach |  LUX |
9 February 1947 | 1 | 18 | 5 |
| 1948 | Paris | FRA |
8 February 1948 | 1 | 20 | 5 |
| 1949 | Plateau de Gravell | FRA |
3 March 1949 | 1 | 20 | 5 |
Medal table
| Pos | Country | 🥇 Gold | 🥈 Silver | 🥉 Bronze | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | FRA |
15 | 10 | 8 | 33 |
| 2 | Belgium |  BEL |
4 | 7 | 6 | 17 |
| 3 | Luxembourg | LUX |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | Switzerland |  SUI |
0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Italy |  ITA |
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |