9 4 3 , ▁two ▁races ▁were ▁organized ▁each ▁year : ▁one ▁in ▁Naz i - occup ied ▁France ▁and ▁one ▁in ▁the ▁free ▁French ▁State . ▁As ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁the ▁race ▁location ▁changed ▁every ▁year . ▁The ▁edition ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁O ran ▁in ▁French ▁Al ger ia . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁the ▁Crit éri um ▁was ▁held ▁as ▁a ▁stage ▁race ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁and ▁again ▁ever ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁ ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁the ▁race ▁was ▁organized ▁in ▁the ▁Ar den nes ▁with ▁all ▁stages ▁starting ▁and ▁finishing ▁in ▁or ▁around ▁Char lev ille - M é zi ères . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁the ▁race ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁C ors ica , ▁around ▁the ▁coast al ▁city ▁of ▁Porto - Vec chio . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁the ▁AS O ▁agreed ▁a ▁deal ▁to ▁extend ▁the ▁race ' s ▁stay ▁until ▁at ▁least ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁Because ▁of ▁its ▁challeng ing ▁route ▁and ▁usually ▁m ild ▁weather ▁conditions ▁in ▁early ▁spring , ▁the ▁Crit éri um ▁International ▁is ▁often ▁cont ended ▁by ▁many ▁general ▁classification ▁rid ers ▁in ▁their ▁build - up ▁towards ▁the ▁Grand ▁T ours , ▁not ably ▁the ▁Tour ▁de ▁France . ▁ ▁November ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 6