A cyclist rides one of the Classic cycle races, Paris-Roubaix

The classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, 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 to 2007 seasons, the Classics formed part of the UCI ProTour run by the Union Cycliste Internationale. This event series also included various stage races including the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España, 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 and the ASO, which organizes the Tour de France and several other major races.

The Classics[link]

Professional races commonly regarded by the UCI as Classics:^{[citation needed]}

La Primavera

• Milan – San Remo (Italy) – 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

• Gent–Wevelgem (Belgium) - the first of the 'Spring Classics', First held in 1934.
• E3 Harelbeke (Belgium) - First held in 1958
• Ronde van Vlaanderen (Belgium) – Vlaanderens mooiste ("Flanders's most beautiful") is normally raced in early April. First held in 1913. Known in English as the 'Tour of Flanders'.
• Paris–Roubaix (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

• Amstel Gold Race (the Netherlands) – normally held mid-April. First run in 1966, it is one of the three "Ardennes Classics."
• La Flèche Wallonne (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 (Spain)
• 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 (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.

The 'Monuments'[link]

The Five Monuments of Cycling are generally considered to be the oldest and most-prestigious one-day races on the calendar.^[1][2][3]

• Milan – San Remo (Italy) – 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 (Belgium) – 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) – 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, Rik Van Looy and Eddy Merckx, all three Belgians. With victories in all the other Monuments, Sean Kelly almost joined this group, finishing second in the Tour of Flanders on three occasions (1984, 1986 and 1987). Dutch rider Hennie Kuiper won each Monument, except Liège–Bastogne–Liège in which he finished second in 1980. Belgian rider Fred De Bruyne 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'

Cyclist	Nationality	First win	Latest win	M–S	ToF	P–R	L–B–L	GdL	Total
Merckx, EddyEddy Merckx	Belgium	1966	1976	7	2	3	5	2	19
De Vlaeminck, RogerRoger De Vlaeminck	Belgium	1970	1979	3	1	4	1	2	11
Girardengo, CostanteCostante Girardengo	Italy	1918	1928	6				3	9
Coppi, FaustoFausto Coppi	Italy	1946	1954	3		1		5	9
Kelly, SeanSean Kelly	Ireland	1983	1992	2		2	2	3	9
Van Looy, RikRik Van Looy	Belgium	1958	1965	1	2	3	1	1	8
Bartali, GinoGino Bartali	Italy	1939	1950	4				3	7
Boonen, TomTom Boonen	Belgium	2005	2012		3	4			7
Pelissier, HenriHenri Pélissier	France	1911	1921	1		2		3	6
Binda, AlfredoAlfredo Binda	Italy	1925	1931	2				4	6
De Bruyne, FredFred De Bruyne	Belgium	1956	1959	1	1	1	3		6
Moser, FrancescoFrancesco Moser	Italy	1975	1984	1		3		2	6
Argentin, MorenoMoreno Argentin	Italy	1985	1991		1		4	1	6
Museeuw, JohanJohan Museeuw	Belgium	1993	2002		3	3			6
Belloni, GaetanoGaetano Belloni	Italy	1915	1928	2				3	5
Van Steenbergen, RikRik Van Steenbergen	Belgium	1944	1954	1	2	2			5
Hinault, BernardBernard Hinault	France	1977	1984			1	2	2	5
Bartoli, MicheleMichele Bartoli	Italy	1996	2003		1		2	2	5
Bettini, PaoloPaolo Bettini	Italy	2000	2006	1			2	2	5
Rebry, GastonGaston Rebry	Belgium	1931	1935		1	3			4
Schepers, AlphonseAlphonse Schepers	Belgium	1931	1935		1		3		4
Bobet, LouisonLouison Bobet	France	1951	1956	1	1	1		1	4
Derycke, GermainGermain Derycke	Belgium	1953	1958	1	1	1	1		4
Gimondi, FeliceFelice Gimondi	Italy	1966	1974	1		1		2	4
Godefroot, WalterWalter Godefroot	Belgium	1967	1978		2	1	1		4
Kuiper, HennieHennie Kuiper	Netherlands	1981	1985	1	1	1		1	4
Raas, JanJan Raas	Netherlands	1977	1983	1	2	1			4
Zabel, ErikErik Zabel	Germany	1997	2001	4					4
Cancellara, FabianFabian Cancellara	Switzerland	2006	2010	1	1	2			4
Lapize, OctaveOctave Lapize	France	1909	1911			3			3
Brunero, GiovanniGiovanni Brunero	Italy	1922	1924	1				2	3
Gijssels, RomainRomain Gijssels	Belgium	1931	1932		2	1			3
Buysse, AchielAchiel Buysse	Belgium	1940	1943		3				3
Magni, FiorenzoFiorenzo Magni	Italy	1949	1951		3				3
de Roo, JoJo de Roo	Netherlands	1962	1965		1			2	3
Daems, EmileEmile Daems	Belgium	1960	1963	1		1		1	3
Simpson, TomTom Simpson	United Kingdom	1961	1965	1	1			1	3
Leman, EricEric Leman	Belgium	1970	1973		3				3
Van Petegem, PeterPeter Van Petegem	Belgium	1999	2003		2	1			3
Tafi, AndreaAndrea Tafi	Italy	1996	2002		1	1		1	3
Tchmil, AndreiAndrei Tchmil	Belgium	1994	2000	1	1	1			3
Freire, ÓscarÓscar Freire	Spain	2004	2010	3					3
Cunego, DamianoDamiano Cunego	Italy	2004	2008					3	3
Gilbert, PhilippePhilippe Gilbert	Belgium	2009	2011				1	2	3

Monument winners since 1960

Year	Milan – San Remo	Tour of Flanders	Paris–Roubaix	Liège–Bastogne–Liège	Giro di Lombardia
1960	René Privat (FRA)	Arthur De Cabooter (BEL)	Pino Cerami (BEL)	Albertus Geldermans (NED)	Emile Daems (BEL)
1961	Raymond Poulidor (FRA)	Tom Simpson (GBR)	Rik van Looy (BEL)	Rik van Looy (BEL)	Vito Taccone (ITA)
1962	Emile Daems (BEL)	Rik van Looy (BEL)	Rik van Looy (BEL)	Jef Planckaert (BEL)	Jo de Roo (NED)
1963	Joseph Groussard (FRA)	Noel Foré (BEL)	Emile Daems (BEL)	Frans Melckenbeeck (BEL)	Jo de Roo (NED)
1964	Tom Simpson (GBR)	Rudi Altig (GER)	Peter Post (NED)	Willy Blocklandt (BEL)	Gianni Motta (ITA)
1965	Arie den Hartog (NED)	Jo De Roo (NED)	Rik van Looy (BEL)	Carmine Preziosi (ITA)	Tom Simpson (GBR)
1966	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Edward Sels (BEL)	Felice Gimondi (ITA)	Jacques Anquetil (FRA)	Felice Gimondi (ITA)
1967	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Dino Zandegù (ITA)	Jan Janssen (NED)	Walter Godefroot (BEL)	Franco Bitossi (ITA)
1968	Rudi Altig (GER)	Walter Godefroot (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Walter Van Sweefelt (BEL)	Herman van Springel (BEL)
1969	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Walter Godefroot (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Jean-Pierre Monseré (BEL)
1970	Michele Dancelli (ITA)	Eric Leman (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Franco Bitossi (ITA)
1971	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Evert Dolman (NED)	Roger Rosiers (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)
1972	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Eric Leman (BEL)	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)
1973	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Eric Leman (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Felice Gimondi (ITA)
1974	Felice Gimondi (ITA)	Kees Bal (NED)	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Georges Pintens (BEL)	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)
1975	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Francesco Moser (ITA)
1976	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	Walter Planckaert (BEL)	Marc Demeyer (BEL)	Joseph Bruyère (BEL)	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)
1977	Jan Raas (NED)	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Bernard Hinault (FRA)	Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA)
1978	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Walter Godefroot (BEL)	Francesco Moser (ITA)	Joseph Bruyère (BEL)	Francesco Moser (ITA)
1979	Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Jan Raas (NED)	Francesco Moser (ITA)	Dietrich Thurau (GER)	Bernard Hinault (FRA)
1980	Pierino Gavazzi (ITA)	Michel Pollentier (BEL)	Francesco Moser (ITA)	Bernard Hinault (FRA)	Fons De Wolf (BEL)
1981	Fons De Wolf (BEL)	Hennie Kuiper (NED)	Bernard Hinault (FRA)	Josef Fuchs (SUI)	Hennie Kuiper (NED)
1982	Marc Gomez (FRA)	René Martens (BEL)	Jan Raas (NED)	Silvano Contini (ITA)	Giuseppe Saronni (ITA)
1983	Giuseppe Saronni (ITA)	Jan Raas (NED)	Hennie Kuiper (NED)	Steven Rooks (NED)	Sean Kelly (IRL)
1984	Francesco Moser (ITA)	Johan Lammerts (NED)	Sean Kelly (IRL)	Sean Kelly (IRL)	Bernard Hinault (FRA)
1985	Hennie Kuiper (NED)	Eric Vanderaerden (BEL)	Marc Madiot (FRA)	Moreno Argentin (ITA)	Sean Kelly (IRL)
1986	Sean Kelly (IRL)	Adri van der Poel (NED)	Sean Kelly (IRL)	Moreno Argentin (ITA)	Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA)
1987	Erich Mächler (SUI)	Claude Criquielion (BEL)	Eric Vanderaerden (BEL)	Moreno Argentin (ITA)	Moreno Argentin (ITA)
1988	Laurent Fignon (FRA)	Eddy Planckaert (BEL)	Dirk Demol (BEL)	Adri van der Poel (NED)	Charly Mottet (FRA)
1989	Laurent Fignon (FRA)	Edwig van Hooydonck (BEL)	Jean-Marie Wampers (BEL)	Sean Kelly (IRL)	Tony Rominger (SUI)
1990	Gianni Bugno (ITA)	Moreno Argentin (ITA)	Eddy Planckaert (BEL)	Eric van Lancker (BEL)	Gilles Delion (FRA)
1991	Claudio Chiappucci (ITA)	Edwig van Hooydonck (BEL)	Marc Madiot (FRA)	Moreno Argentin (ITA)	Sean Kelly (IRL)
1992	Sean Kelly (IRL)	Jacky Durand (FRA)	Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA)	Dirk de Wolf (BEL)	Tony Rominger (SUI)
1993	Maurizio Fondriest (ITA)	Johan Museeuw (BEL)	Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA)	Rolf Sørensen (DEN)	Pascal Richard (SUI)
1994	Giorgio Furlan (ITA)	Gianni Bugno (ITA)	Andrei Tchmil (UKR)	Evgeni Berzin (RUS)	Viatcheslav Bobrik (RUS)
1995	Laurent Jalabert (FRA)	Johan Museeuw (BEL)	Franco Ballerini (ITA)	Mauro Gianetti (SUI)	Gianni Faresin (ITA)
1996	Gabriele Colombo (ITA)	Michele Bartoli (ITA)	Johan Museeuw (BEL)	Pascal Richard (SUI)	Andrea Tafi (ITA)
1997	Erik Zabel (GER)	Rolf Sørensen (DEN)	Frédéric Guesdon (FRA)	Michele Bartoli (ITA)	Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
1998	Erik Zabel (GER)	Johan Museeuw (BEL)	Franco Ballerini (ITA)	Michele Bartoli (ITA)	Oscar Camenzind (SUI)
1999	Andrei Tchmil (BEL)	Peter Van Petegem (BEL)	Andrea Tafi (ITA)	Frank Vandenbroucke (BEL)	Mirko Celestino (ITA)
2000	Erik Zabel (GER)	Andrei Tchmil (BEL)	Johan Museeuw (BEL)	Paolo Bettini (ITA)	Raimondas Rumšas (LTU)
2001	Erik Zabel (GER)	Gianluca Bortolami (ITA)	Servais Knaven (NED)	Oscar Camenzind (SUI)	Danilo Di Luca (ITA)
2002	Mario Cipollini (ITA)	Andrea Tafi (ITA)	Johan Museeuw (BEL)	Paolo Bettini (ITA)	Michele Bartoli (ITA)
2003	Paolo Bettini (ITA)	Peter Van Petegem (BEL)	Peter Van Petegem (BEL)	Tyler Hamilton (USA)	Michele Bartoli (ITA)
2004	Óscar Freire (ESP)	Steffen Wesemann (GER)	Magnus Bäckstedt (SWE)	Davide Rebellin (ITA)	Damiano Cunego (ITA)
2005	Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)	Tom Boonen (BEL)	Tom Boonen (BEL)	Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ)	Paolo Bettini (ITA)
2006	Filippo Pozzato (ITA)	Tom Boonen (BEL)	Fabian Cancellara (SUI)	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)	Paolo Bettini (ITA)
2007	Óscar Freire (ESP)	Alessandro Ballan (ITA)	Stuart O'Grady (AUS)	Danilo Di Luca (ITA)	Damiano Cunego (ITA)
2008	Fabian Cancellara (SUI)	Stijn Devolder (BEL)	Tom Boonen (BEL)	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)	Damiano Cunego (ITA)
2009	Mark Cavendish (GBR)	Stijn Devolder (BEL)	Tom Boonen (BEL)	Andy Schleck (LUX)	Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
2010	Óscar Freire (ESP)	Fabian Cancellara (SUI)	Fabian Cancellara (SUI)	Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ)	Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
2011	Matthew Goss (AUS)	Nick Nuyens (BEL)	Johan Vansummeren (BEL)	Philippe Gilbert (BEL)	Oliver Zaugg (SUI)
2012	Simon Gerrans (AUS)	Tom Boonen (BEL)	Tom Boonen (BEL)	Maxim Iglinsky (KAZ)

See also[link]

• List of road bicycle racing events
• Grand Tour (cycling)

References[link]

1. ^ Cycling Hall of Fame: Introduction, 2010, http://www.cyclinghalloffame.com/gen_info.asp, retrieved 2010-07-12 
2. ^ Cycling Monuments, 2010, http://www.trails.com/list_31612_cycling-monuments.html, retrieved 2010-07-12 
3. ^ "Cancellara dreams of all winning all five of cycling monuments", CyclingNews.com, 2010, http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancellara-dreams-of-all-winning-all-five-of-cycling-monuments, retrieved 2010-07-12