It's the week after the Tour and that means the riders can beef up their bank accounts by riding criterium races. Mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium but there are also show races like this in other countries. It is a public secret that these races aren't real races (anymore), if you have to pay the TdF-stars tens of thousands of euro's you do not want them to finish anonimously in the pack. I don't know if the actual finish order is arranged pre-race or they just say to the tour-stars to battle for it among each other. I guess the approach differs between places.
In an interview Gerry van Gerwen who coordinates the distribution of riders among the Dutch races Contador can ask €100.000 for an appearance. That's where (part of the) true financial gain of winning the Tour is made!
For fun's sake: let's track the results of the different races. Last year there even was an overall classification among the Dutch criteriums. Laurens ten Dam won in 2009. He will focus on preparing for the Vuelta this year I think.
Monday July 26th: Daags na de Tour Boxmeer (since 1975). Winner last year: Andy Schleck
Result: 1. Lars Boom 2. Niki Terpstra 3. Andy Schleck
(looks like the result you'd expect in a true sprint with these three riders)
Monday July 26th: Criterium Aalst (75th edition)
Result: 1. Cancellara 2. Petacchi 3. Barredo
Tuesday July 27th: Profronde van Stiphout (since 1980). Winner last year: Contador
- Participants: a.o. Contador, A. Schleck, Gesink, Fuglsang, Knaven, Tankink, Tjalingii, Niermann
Result: 1. Gesink 2. A. Schleck 3. Contador
Tuesday July 27th: Natourcriterium Roeselare (1ste edition)
- Participants: a.o. Hushovd, van den Broeck, Basso, Gilbert, Barredo, de Weert, Cancellara, Breschel, Szmyd
Result: 1. Hushovd 2. van den Broeck 3. Cancellara
Tuesday July 27th: Critérium de Lisieux (since 1981)
- Participants: Moinard, Pineau, Syl. Chavanel, Charteau, Gadret, Riblon, Casar
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Wednesday July 28th: Acht van Chaam (since 1933). Winner last year: ten Dam
- Participants: a.o. Cancellara (his only appearance in the criterium circuit), Gesink, Moerenhout, Terpstra, de Maar
Wednesday July 28th: Nacht van Peer (39th edition).
- Participants: a.o. van den Broeck, Basso, Aerts, Vansummeren, Seeldrayers
Wednesday July 28th: Tour de Neuss (9th edition). Winner last year: Haussler
- Participants: a.o. Greipel, Wegmann, Martin, Martens, Niermann, Voigt, Knees
Wednesday July 28th: Welser Innenstadt Kriterium (12th edition).
- Participants: a.o. Greipel, Kreuziger, Cavendish, Eisel
Thursday July 29th: Wateringse Wielerdag (since 1974). Winner last year: Cancellara
- Participants: a.o. Petacchi, T. Bos, Maaskant, Kroon, van Hummel, ten Dam, Brown, Boom
Thursday July 29th: Gala Tour de France Luxembourg. Winner last year: Fränk Schleck
Friday July 30th: Raboronde Heerlen (since 1990). Winner last year: Contador
- Participants: to be announced
Monday August 2nd: Draai van de Kaai (since 1980). Winner last year: Cavendish
- Participants: a.o. Petacchi, A. Schleck, Gesink, Basso, Hondo, Moerenhout, de Maar, van Hummel
Tuesday August 3rd: Profronde van Surhuisterveen (since 1982). Winner last year: Contador
- Participants: a.o. A. Schleck, Gesink, Basso, Westra
Friday August 6th: Mijl van Mares (49th edition). Winner last year: ten Dam
Tuesday August 10th: Rabobank Gouden Pijl (since 2002). Winner last year: Contador.
Participants: Evans