Vincenzo Nibali, Greg Van Avermaet and Marcel Kittel get the lap of honour in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali, Greg Van Avermaet and Marcel Kittel on the podium in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The gentleman's podium topped by Herman Van Springel(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Herman Van Springel out-sprints Roger De Vlaeminck in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali shows off his maillot jaune in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nico Mattan stopped for a beer along the race route(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The town of Aalst, Belgium hosts an annual post-Tour criterium(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nibali signs autographs in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The media obligations never stop for the Tour de France champion(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
"Wait, who gets to win? Van Avermaet?"(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Marcel Kittel in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alessandro Vanotti accompanied Nibali to Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali, Greg Van Avermaet and Marcel Kittel in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali, Greg Van Avermaet and Marcel Kittel in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali, Greg Van Avermaet and Marcel Kittel in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali in Aalst(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Greg Van Avermaet wins the Aalst post-Tour criterium(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Herman Van Springel might be a bit out of practice with the podium champagne(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Overall Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), and quadruple stage winner Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano) made the 300km trip from Paris on Sunday to the post-Tour criterium in Aalst, Belgium Monday night, but it was the country's native star, Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) who stole the "win".
The post-Tour de France criterium circuit is a popular way for fans to get one more chance to see cycling's champions speeding around, and the lucrative pot of start money brings in the top riders. Often, the race results are fixed beforehand, and the event is more of an exhibition than a race.
The crowds were first treated to the "gentleman's" race, where a fit 70-year-old Herman Van Springel out-sprinted Roger De Vlaeminck, before Nibali made the rounds, signing autographs and posing for photos, and the "race" was on.
