Classic race

The classic cycle races are the most important one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar (list of races)

All of the races are run in western Europe. Most of the events have been 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 top races are sometimes described as the 'Monuments'.

From 2005, the Classics have formed part of the UCI ProTour run by the Union Cycliste Internationale. This event series also includes various stage races including the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España, Paris-Nice and the Critérium de Dauphiné Libéré, and various non-Classic single day events. The ProTour replaced the UCI Road World Cup series which contained only one-day races.

The Classics

RaceCountryStartedNotesMilan-Sanremo1907The first true Classic of the year,  its Italian name is La Primavera (the spring), this race is normally held in late March. .Ronde van Vlaanderen1913The first of the 'Spring Classics', is normally raced in early April.Paris-Roubaix1896La Reine ("Queen of the Classics") or l'Enfer du Nord ("Hell of the North") is traditionally one week after the Ronde van Vlaanderen.Amstel Gold Race1966Normally held mid-April.La Flèche Wallonne1936The Walloon Arrow is traditionally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.Liège-Bastogne-Liège1892late April. La Doyenne, the oldest Classic, was first held in 1892 as an amateur event; a professional edition following in 1894.Rund um den Henninger TurmClásica de San SebastiánSan Sebastian ClassicZüri-MetzgeteChampionship of ZürichParis-Brussels/Paris-ToursGiro di Lombardia1905Also known as the "Race of the Falling Leaves", is normally held in October. First called the Milano-Milano (Milan to Milan) in 1905, it became the Giro di Lombardia in 1907.

Some races that were Classics are no longer run. These include the gruelling (very hard) 560km, Derny event, Bordeaux-Paris, run from 1891 to 1988.

The 'Monuments'
Five of the classic races are sometimes called "the Monuments"
Milan-Sanremo 
Ronde van Vlaanderen 
Paris-Roubaix 
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 
Giro di Lombardia 

Only three riders have won all five 'Monument' one-day races during their careers: Roger De Vlaeminck, Rik Van Looy and Eddy Merckx.  All were from Belgium.

Seán Kelly of Ireland won four Monuments but only finished second in the Ronde van Vlaanderen on three occasions (1984,1986,1987).

+Monument winners since 1960 Year Milan – San Remo Tour of Flanders Paris–Roubaix Liège–Bastogne–Liège Giro di Lombardia1960     1961     1962     1963     1964     1965     1966     1967     1968     1969     1970     1971     1972     1973     1974     1975     1976     1977     1978     1979      1980       1981        1982       1983      1984       1985        1986      1987       1988           1989          1990          1991          1992           1993          1994       1995          1996        1997         1998        1999           2000          2001      2002        2003         2004        2005         2006        2007       2008       2009       2010       2011      2012    

Related pages
List of important cycling events

Category:Cycle races