The Spring Classics are a series of professional one-day cycling races held throughout Western Europe in March and April and are some of the oldest races in the history of cycling, with some races dating back to the 19th century. While the Spring Classics stand as valued professional races in their own right, they also serve as preparation for the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France races that follow.
The Spring Classic seasons begins in Italy with the Milan-San Remo, usually held on the first Sunday in Spring. The majority of the Spring Classics are raced in Belgium including the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders), La Fleche Wallonne, E3 Harelbeke with the Liège–Bastogne–Liège concluding the Spring Classics season. France’s Paris–Roubaix (Hell of the North) and The Netherlands’ Amstel Gold Race make up the other Spring Classic races.
Four of these races – Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Liege-Bastogne-Liege – in addition with the Giro di Lombardia, held in October, make up the ‘Five Monuments’. The Five Monuments are the most historic and prestigious of the Spring Classics. Only three riders – Roger De Vlaeminck, Rik Van Looy and Eddy Merckx – have won all five ‘Monument’ races.
2018 Spring Classics:
| Date | Race | Broadcast |
| Sat, March 3 | Strade Bianche (Italy) | Eurosport |
| Sat, March 17 | Milan – San Remo (Italy) | Eurosport |
| Sun, Mar 25 | Gent-Wevelgem (Belgium) | Eurosport |
| Sun, April 1 | Tour of Flanders (Belgium) | SBS, Eurosport |
| Sun, April 8 | Paris-Roubaix (France) | SBS, Eurosport |
| Sun, April 15 | Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands) | SBS, Eurosport |
| Wed, April 18 | La Fleche Wallone | Eurosport |
| Sun, April 22 | Liege-Bastogne-Liege (Belgium) | SBS, Eurosport |
April 3rd 2016 @ 9:09pm
Ewan Mackenzie said | April 3rd 2016 @ 9:09pm | ! Report
You’ve got an error in your article, but of course no surprises there as the written world is now so full of errors, typos, etc. the surprise is when you read something that contains none..!? ;( 😉
After listing the Spring Classics in the previous para, you state in the final one that “…Four of these races – Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Giro di Lombardia – in addition with the Giro di Lombardia, held in October, make up the ‘Five Monuments’.” Clearly, you meant to say that Liege-Bastogne-Liege (La Doyenne) is the fourth of the Spring Classics among the ‘Five Monuments’ rather than the Giro di Lombardia twice.
Cheers,
Ewan (25+ years a proof-reader, editor & writer) 😉
January 20th 2018 @ 10:31pm
Alex B said | January 20th 2018 @ 10:31pm | ! Report
Ewan, 34 words in one sentence? Your Gunning Fog Index would be terrible! 🙂