Classic cycle races - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races

Road bicycle racing

Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...

in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same time each year. In the last few years, the five most revered races are sometimes described as the 'Monuments'.

For the 2005-2007 seasons, the Classics formed part of the UCI ProTour

UCI ProTour

The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...

run by the Union Cycliste Internationale

Union Cycliste Internationale

Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....

. This event series also included various stage races including the Tour de France

Tour de France

The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...

, Giro d'Italia

Giro d'Italia

The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...

, Vuelta a España

Vuelta a España

The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...

, Paris–Nice and the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, and various non-Classic single day events. The ProTour replaced the UCI Road World Cup series which contained only one-day races. Many of the Classics, and all the Grand Tours, were not part of the ProTour for the 2008 season because of disputes between the UCI

Union Cycliste Internationale

Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....

and the ASO

Amaury Sport Organisation

The Amaury Sport Organisation is part of the French media group, EPA . It organises sporting events including the Tour de France and Paris–Nice professional cycle road races, and the Dakar Rally...

, which organizes the Tour de France

Tour de France

and several other major races.

The Classics

Professional races commonly regarded as Classics:

La Primavera

Milan – San Remo (Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

) – the first true Classic of the year, its Italian name is La Primavera (the spring), this race is normally held in late March. First run in 1907.

Cobbled classics
Cobbled classics
Cobblestones, like mountaineous terrain, are decisive elements in courses of cycling. Many classic cycle races in northwestern Europe contain cobbled sections. The two classics of this race type are the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris–Roubaix, with over 20 cobbled sectors...

Ronde van Vlaanderen (Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

) – the first of the 'Spring Classics', is normally raced in early April. First held in 1913. Known in English as the 'Tour of Flanders'.
Gent–Wevelgem (Belgium) - First held in 1934.
Paris–Roubaix (France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

) – La Reine ("Queen of the Classics") or l'Enfer du Nord ("Hell of the North") is traditionally one week after the Ronde van Vlaanderen, and was first raced in 1896.

Ardennes classics
Ardennes classics
The Ardennes classics are three cycling classics held in mid-April in the Ardennes and Dutch Limburg. The races are notable for their hilly courses, and often have similar riders competing for the top positions as the races are held close after each other...

Amstel Gold Race
Amstel Gold Race
The Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour...

(the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

) – normally held mid-April. First run in 1966, it is one of the three "Ardennes Classics."
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège...

(Belgium) – First run in 1936, Walloon Arrow is traditionally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Second "Ardennes Classic."
Liège–Bastogne–Liège (Belgium) – late April. La Doyenne, the oldest Classic, was first held in 1892. It is the third "Ardennes Classic."

Together, the Cobbled classics and the Ardennes classics form the Spring Classics, all held in April.

Fall/autumn classics

Clásica de San Sebastián
Clásica de San Sebastián
The Donostia-Donostia Klasikoa - Clásica San Sebastián-San Sebastián is a cycle race that has been held every summer since 1981 in San Sebastián, Spain...

(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

)
Paris–Tours (France)
Giro di Lombardia (Italy) – also known as the "Race of the Falling Leaves", is normally held in October. Initially called the Milano-Milano in 1905, it became the Giro di Lombardia in 1907.

Season openers

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (Belgium) - opening Belgian cycling season
GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise (France) - opening French cycling season
Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi
Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi
The Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi is a one day professional cycling race between the towns of San Vincenzo and Donoratico on the Tuscany coast in Italy. The 193 kilometre long race takes place at the beginning of February and has now taken over from the Trofeo Laigueglia as the opening event of...

(Italy) - opening Italian cycling season
Trofeo Cala Millor-Cala Bona (Spain) - opening Spanish cycling season

Some past Classics are no longer run. These include the gruelling 560 km, partly motor-paced event, Bordeaux–Paris, run from 1891 to 1988. Other former races include the Züri-Metzgete and the very old autumn race Milano-Torino

Milano-Torino

Milano–Torino is a semi classic European single day cycling race, between the northern Italian cities of Milan and Turin over a distance of 199 kilometres. The event was first run in 1876 making it the oldest of the Italian classic races and one of the oldest in the World. The event is organised by...

The 'Monuments'

The Five Monuments of Cycling are generally considered to be the oldest and most-prestigious one-day races on the calendar.

Milan – San Remo (Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

) – the first true Classic of the year, its Italian name is La Primavera (the spring), this race is held in late March. First run in 1907.
Tour of Flanders
Tour of Flanders
The Tour of Flanders is a Flanders Classics road cycling race held in Belgium every spring, a week before the Paris–Roubaix road race. It is part of the UCI World Tour and one of the so-called monuments of the European professional calendar. It is the most important cycling race in Flanders...

(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

) – also known as the "Ronde van Vlaanderen", the first of the 'Spring Classics', is raced in early April. First held in 1913.
Paris–Roubaix (France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

) – the "Queen of the Classics" or l'Enfer du Nord ("Hell of the North") is traditionally one week after the Ronde van Vlaanderen, and was first raced in 1896.
Liège–Bastogne–Liège (Belgium) – late April. La Doyenne, the oldest Classic, was first held in 1892 as an amateur event; a professional edition following in 1894.
Giro di Lombardia (Italy) – also known as the "Race of the Falling Leaves", is held in October. Initially called the Milano–Milano in 1905, it became the Giro di Lombardia in 1907.

Only three riders have won all five 'Monument' one-day races during their careers: Roger De Vlaeminck

Roger De Vlaeminck

Roger De Vlaeminck is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist. He was described by Rik Van Looy as '"The most talented and the only real classics rider of his generation"...

, Rik Van Looy

Rik Van Looy

Henri van Looy is a Belgian former professional cyclist of the post-war period, nicknamed the King of the Classics or Emperor of Herentals...

and Eddy Merckx

Eddy Merckx

Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...

, all three Belgians

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

. With victories in all the other Monuments, Sean Kelly

Seán Kelly (cyclist)

John James 'Sean' Kelly is an Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. From turning professional in 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he won nine monument classics, and 193...

almost joined this group, finishing second in the Tour of Flanders on three occasions (1984, 1986 and 1987). Dutch rider Hennie Kuiper

Hennie Kuiper

Hennie Kuiper is a Dutch former professional road racing cyclist. His career includes a gold medal in the Olympic road race at Munich in 1972, becoming world professional road race champion in 1975, as well as winning four of the five “Monument” classics...

won each Monument, except Liège–Bastogne–Liège in which he finished second in 1980. Belgian rider Fred De Bruyne

Fred De Bruyne

Alfred De Bruyne was a Belgian champion cyclist.He won Milan – San Remo and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1956, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Tours in 1957, and again Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1958 and 1959....

also came close, finishing second in the Giro di Lombardia in 1955 and winning the other four races during his career.

Cyclists who won more than two 'Monuments'
M–S	ToF Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders is a Flanders Classics road cycling race held in Belgium every spring, a week before the Paris–Roubaix road race. It is part of the UCI World Tour and one of the so-called monuments of the European professional calendar. It is the most important cycling race in Flanders...	P–R	L–B–L	GdL	Total
7	2	3	5	2	19
3	1	4	1	2	11
6				3	9
3		1		5	9
2		2	2	3	9
1	2	3	1	1	8
4				3	7
1		2		3	6
2				4	6
1	1	1	3		6
1		3		2	6
	1		4	1	6
	3	3			6
2				3	5
1	2	2			5
		1	2	2	5
	1		2	2	5
1			2	2	5
	2	3			5
	1	3			4
	1		3		4
1	1	1		1	4
1	1	1	1		4
1		1		2	4
	2	1	1		4
1	1	1		1	4
1	2	1			4
4					4
1	1	2			4
		3			3
1				2	3
	2	1			3
	3				3
	1			2	3
1		1		1	3
1	1			1	3
	3				3
	2	1			3
	1	1		1	3
1	1	1			3
3					3
				3	3
			1	2	3

Monument winners since 1960
Year	Milan – San Remo	Tour of Flanders Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders is a Flanders Classics road cycling race held in Belgium every spring, a week before the Paris–Roubaix road race. It is part of the UCI World Tour and one of the so-called monuments of the European professional calendar. It is the most important cycling race in Flanders...	Paris–Roubaix	Liège–Bastogne–Liège	Giro di Lombardia
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1977
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1983
1984
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The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

M–S	ToF Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders is a Flanders Classics road cycling race held in Belgium every spring, a week before the Paris–Roubaix road race. It is part of the UCI World Tour and one of the so-called monuments of the European professional calendar. It is the most important cycling race in Flanders...	P–R	L–B–L	GdL	Total
7	2	3	5	2	19
3	1	4	1	2	11
6				3	9
3		1		5	9
2		2	2	3	9
1	2	3	1	1	8
4				3	7
1		2		3	6
2				4	6
1	1	1	3		6
1		3		2	6
	1		4	1	6
	3	3			6
2				3	5
1	2	2			5
		1	2	2	5
	1		2	2	5
1			2	2	5
	2	3			5
	1	3			4
	1		3		4
1	1	1		1	4
1	1	1	1		4
1		1		2	4
	2	1	1		4
1	1	1		1	4
1	2	1			4
4					4
1	1	2			4
		3			3
1				2	3
	2	1			3
	3				3
	1			2	3
1		1		1	3
1	1			1	3
	3				3
	2	1			3
	1	1		1	3
1	1	1			3
3					3
				3	3
			1	2	3

M–S	ToF Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders is a Flanders Classics road cycling race held in Belgium every spring, a week before the Paris–Roubaix road race. It is part of the UCI World Tour and one of the so-called monuments of the European professional calendar. It is the most important cycling race in Flanders...	P–R	L–B–L	GdL	Total
7	2	3	5	2	19
3	1	4	1	2	11
6				3	9
3		1		5	9
2		2	2	3	9
1	2	3	1	1	8
4				3	7
1		2		3	6
2				4	6
1	1	1	3		6
1		3		2	6
	1		4	1	6
	3	3			6
2				3	5
1	2	2			5
		1	2	2	5
	1		2	2	5
1			2	2	5
	2	3			5
	1	3			4
	1		3		4
1	1	1		1	4
1	1	1	1		4
1		1		2	4
	2	1	1		4
1	1	1		1	4
1	2	1			4
4					4
1	1	2			4
		3			3
1				2	3
	2	1			3
	3				3
	1			2	3
1		1		1	3
1	1			1	3
	3				3
	2	1			3
	1	1		1	3
1	1	1			3
3					3
				3	3
			1	2	3

M–S	ToF Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders is a Flanders Classics road cycling race held in Belgium every spring, a week before the Paris–Roubaix road race. It is part of the UCI World Tour and one of the so-called monuments of the European professional calendar. It is the most important cycling race in Flanders...	P–R	L–B–L	GdL	Total
7	2	3	5	2	19
3	1	4	1	2	11
6				3	9
3		1		5	9
2		2	2	3	9
1	2	3	1	1	8
4				3	7
1		2		3	6
2				4	6
1	1	1	3		6
1		3		2	6
	1		4	1	6
	3	3			6
2				3	5
1	2	2			5
		1	2	2	5
	1		2	2	5
1			2	2	5
	2	3			5
	1	3			4
	1		3		4
1	1	1		1	4
1	1	1	1		4
1		1		2	4
	2	1	1		4
1	1	1		1	4
1	2	1			4
4					4
1	1	2			4
		3			3
1				2	3
	2	1			3
	3				3
	1			2	3
1		1		1	3
1	1			1	3
	3				3
	2	1			3
	1	1		1	3
1	1	1			3
3					3
				3	3
			1	2	3