First things first: There is no official definition of which races are counted as classics. Historic bike races, in general, are sometimes referred to as classics or semi-classics, but not without controversy.
However, there is no dispute about "The Classics" – one-day races that are more important than all others. They have in common that their first edition took place before the First World War. In the case of the Tour of Flanders, the first edition was in 1913 and could only be repeated once before it had to pause due to the war.
Due to the disagreement in the "classic" designation, the term "5 Monuments of Cycling" became a popular and clear alternative. However, the International Cycling Union UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) does not include either term in the official regulations.
These are the 5 Monuments of Cycling:
Milan-Sanremo
With the nickname la primavera, the spring, it's not surprising that Milan-Sanremo is traditionally the monument found earliest in the cycling calendar. Sometimes it is also called prima vera corsa, meaning the "first real race."
First held in 1907 under the harshest climatic conditions, the organizers were not sure if the race was physically achievable. Out of 33 riders, only 14 could overcome the 286 kilometers to the finish.
Particularly challenging and thus legendary was the 1910 race held during a heavy snowstorm. The riders had to seek refuge in houses along the route repeatedly. Only four of the original 63 riders reached the finish. The winner, Eugène Christophe, had to spend four weeks in the hospital to treat hypothermia and frostbite.
Today, the race is fortunately much safer, although still athletically very challenging. Due to the long flats, the race is considered a matter for sprinters. The next edition of Milano-Samreno will take place on 22 March 2025.
Jasper Philipsen wins Milan–Sanremo!
Like last year, the race did not start in Milan, but in Pavia, about 30 kilometers south of the metropolis.
With a distance of 288 kilometers, the 115th edition was the shortest of the last ten years, although the traditional route with the Passo del Turchino, the Cipressa and the Poggio remained unchanged.
Jasper Philipsen took his first victory at Milan–Sanremo, one of the five monuments of cycling. After the Poggio, he caught up with the leaders on the descent, helped by teammate Mathieu van der Poel, who neutralized all attacks.
On the Via Roma, Philipsen just managed to beat Michael Matthews in the sprint to top off his strong performance.
Tour of Flanders
"Vlaanderens mooiste," Flanders' Finest, sometimes resembles more of a folk festival than a cycling event. However, this is due to the high popularity and large crowds of spectators. Throughout the long history of the race, organizers often had great difficulty keeping the enthusiastic fans under control and away from the course.
The race, also known as the "Ronde," passes over many key sections, known as Hellingen: short but extremely steep climbs with gradients of up to 20%. Many of the Hellingen also lead over "Kasseien," cobblestones, which further complicates the course.
As a result, the Ronde becomes one of the toughest and most spectacular bike races. Mass sprints and tactical teamwork characterize the sections before the Hellingen to position themselves as best as possible to cross these obstacles. The field thins out over the course of the race until the final specialists engage in a tough individual battle.
The Tour de Flanders 25 will take place on 06 April 2025.
Mathieu van der Poel dominates the Tour of Flanders!
After his season debut at Milan–Sanremo, where he helped defending champion Jasper Philipsen to victory, Mathieu van der Poel excelled in the Belgian classics. He won the E3 Saxo Classic for the first time with a 40-kilometer solo and finished second behind Mads Pedersen at Gent–Wevelgem.
Van der Poel was considered the top favorite at the 108th Tour of Flanders, as Wout van Aert was missing and Tadej Pogačar did not start. On the Koppenberg, 45 kilometers from the finish, the Dutchman attacked on the steep cobblestone section and rode solo to his third victory in this classic.
He thus became the sixth rider to win the Tour of Flanders while wearing the rainbow jersey – after Bobet, Van Looy, Merckx, Boonen and Sagan. With this victory, Van der Poel once again confirmed his exceptional status in the spring classics.
Paris-Roubaix
Paris-Roubaix, the Hell of the North – this nickname was originally earned because it led through the regions of France devastated and destroyed by the First World War. Nowadays, the infamous cobblestones and sometimes adverse conditions give the nickname further justification. In the 118th edition of the race in 2021, the riders were sometimes so covered in dirt that jersey and faces were hardly recognizable. You should definitely make a note of the next edition of Paris-Roubaix on 13 April 2025!
Mathieu van der Poel triumphs again at Paris–Roubaix!
Just one week after his victory at the Tour of Flanders, Mathieu van der Poel also dominated the Queen of the Classics and celebrated his second victory in a row at Paris–Roubaix. As the defending champion, he was among the seven-man lead group that shaped the race.
Van der Poel made his decisive move in the three-star sector of Orchies, where he attacked with 59.7 kilometers to go and distanced his rivals. Supported by a confident ride over the dreaded cobblestone sectors, he continuously extended his lead. At the Carrefour de l'Arbre, he was spared any major incidents, while the competition, including Wout van Aert, fell back due to a puncture.
Van der Poel reached the velodrome of Roubaix with a three-minute lead and celebrated his second victory at this Monument. Teammate Jasper Philipsen completed the one-two for Alpecin-Deceuninck, finishing second ahead of Wout van Aert. With this victory, Mathieu van der Poel once again confirmed his dominance in the spring classics and his status as one of the best classics riders of his generation.
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
The oldest one-day race still held has truly earned the nickname “la Doyenne”, the oldest. At the same time, it is considered a particularly tough race: the Walloon Ardennes offer hard and notorious climbs, which will certainly challenge the riders in the next edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 27, 2025!
Tadej Pogačar wins Liège–Bastogne–Liège!
After his triumphant victory at the 2024 Road World Championships, where he broke away from the peloton with around 100 kilometers to go and became the first Slovenian to win the world title after a solo escape of 51.7 kilometers, Tadej Pogačar also shone at Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
At the 110th edition of the oldest one-day race, also known as “La Doyenne”, the world champion showed his climbing strength. The race, covering 254 kilometers and around 4,500 meters of climbing, once again demanded everything from the riders. On the legendary Côte de la Redoute, around 35 kilometers from the finish, Pogačar attacked irresistibly and broke away from his pursuers.
With impressive stamina and tactical sovereignty, the Slovenian continuously extended his lead and crossed the finish line in Liège with more than a minute's advantage.
This not only secured Pogačar his first victory in this Monument since his crash last year, but also his sixth Monument victory overall. This triumph at Liège–Bastogne–Liège crowned Pogačar's impressive spring season and cemented his status as one of the best riders of his generation.
Lombardy Tour
First held in 1905 and known as "Giro di Lombardia" from 1907-2012, the one-day race is now officially called "Il Lombardia." The Lombardy Tour is traditionally the last major cycling race of a season and the only one of the Monuments not held in spring, earning it the nickname "Race of the Falling Leaves."
Tadej Pogačar triumphs again at the Giro di Lombardia!
Tadej Pogačar capped an impressive season with another outstanding performance at the 118th edition of the Giro di Lombardia on October 12, 2024. Wearing the rainbow jersey of the reigning world champion, the Slovenian dominated the race and celebrated his fourth consecutive victory at “Il Lombardia”, thus equaling the historic record of Italian cycling legend Fausto Coppi.
The demanding race over the mountainous roads of Lombardy once again became a stage for Pogačar's endurance and climbing skills. With around 50 kilometers to go, he attacked relentlessly, leaving his competitors standing. Despite the demanding route and hard-charging pursuers, Pogačar rode confidently to Bergamo and won by a clear margin.
With this triumph, Pogačar not only secured his fourth victory at the Tour of Lombardy, but also impressively underlined his place among the greatest cyclists in history with his seventh Monument victory.
Classic Hunters & More: What the Pros Consider
An official definition of the Monuments may be lacking, but that doesn't bother the fans: they eagerly follow the toughest and oldest races in cycling. Naturally so, as they are truly spectacular every year! But even the pros look forward to these races, especially the so-called "Classic Hunters."
Indeed, these classic specialists exist: professional cyclists who specialize in one-day races, especially the 5 Monuments. Successful professional teams often rely on specialized riders to meet different challenges.
On the one hand, there is a significant difference between a one-day race and a multi-day stage tour. In one-day races, riders who are both good escape artists and good sprinters are in demand. Usually, riders with relatively lower weight and thus improved aerodynamics have a slight advantage.
Also, the specific challenges of the Monuments, especially the infamous cobblestones, must be trained. Classic hunters, therefore, compete as team captains in the Monuments, but they tend to support in a helper role in stage races.
By the way, three of the five Monuments are also contested in women's cycling. Paris-Roubaix Femmes was originally scheduled to be held in 2020 but, due to the pandemic, the inaugural edition was postponed to 2021. Lizzie Deignan of Team Trek-Segafredo (Women) won the race with a clear lead of over a minute, becoming the first rider to have won all three contested Monuments in women's cycling at least once.
Lotte Kopecky triumphs at Paris–Roubaix Femmes!
In dry and warm weather, Lotte Kopecky won a hard-fought race. After an attack on the sector of Auchy to Bersée, a group of four formed with Kopecky, Marianne Vos, Pfeiffer Georgi and Christina Schweinberger.
Later, the race stabilized, but attacks by Jade Wiel, Ellen van Dijk and Amber Kraak shaped the finale. On the sector of Camphin, Vos, Kopecky and Elisa Balsamo caught up with the leaders, followed by Georgi. Despite mutual attacks and a lack of cooperation, the group maintained its narrow lead over the chasers.
In the velodrome in Roubaix, Kopecky won the sprint comfortably ahead of Balsamo. Georgi took third place, just ahead of Vos.
Kopecky's teammate Lorena Wiebes won the sprint of the chasing group, rounding off the strong team performance. With this victory, Lotte Kopecky confirmed her exceptional status and was crowned winner of Paris–Roubaix Femmes.
