▁b icy cle ▁stage ▁race ▁held ▁in ▁France ▁every ▁spring ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁typically ▁the ▁last ▁week end ▁of ▁March . ▁It ▁was ▁formerly ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Crit éri um ▁National ▁de ▁la ▁Route , ▁first ▁run ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁For ▁many ▁years ▁it ▁was ▁considered ▁a ▁sort ▁of ▁French ▁national ▁championship ▁and ▁was ▁finally ▁opened ▁to ▁non – F rench ▁cycl ists ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁Bernard ▁H ina ult ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁cycl ist ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁race ▁in ▁both ▁its ▁forms . ▁The ▁race ▁has ▁been ▁won ▁by ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁famous ▁names ▁in ▁cy cling , ▁including ▁Jacques ▁An quet il , ▁Se an ▁Kelly , ▁Bernard ▁H ina ult , ▁Miguel ▁Ind ur ain , ▁Stephen ▁Ro che , ▁Jo op ▁Zo et em el k , ▁Laurent ▁F ignon , ▁J ens ▁Vo igt , ▁C adel ▁Evans ▁and ▁Chris ▁Fro ome . ▁ ▁History ▁and ▁route ▁The ▁Crit éri um ▁International ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁races ▁in ▁cy cling , ▁apart ▁from ▁the ▁three ▁Grand ▁T ours , ▁with ▁no ▁fixed ▁attachment ▁to ▁a ▁region . ▁Upon ▁its ▁creation ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁it ▁was ▁held ▁as ▁a ▁one - day ▁race ▁in ▁the ▁Vall ée ▁de ▁Che vre use , ▁finishing ▁in ▁the ▁Par c ▁des ▁Prin ces ▁vel od rome ▁in ▁Paris . ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁to ▁ 1