The Classics are cycling’s biggest one-day races, and for the most part take place in northern Europe in the spring. Known by a number of names – Spring Classics, the cobbled Classics, the northern Classics or simply the Classics – for many fans and riders alike these races are the best time of the year, in cycling and in life.
What actually are the Classics?
There is often debate over what should and shouldn’t be counted as a Classic, but for the purposes of this guide we are including everything from the five Monuments down to the semi-Classics ridden by the top level WorldTour teams. Pretty much anything that brings the Classics specialists to the fore or those races ridden in the lead-up to the headline events falls under our Classics umbrella. That’s not to say every race on the calendar will get more than a passing mention.
One-day races are all or nothing and are all the better for it.
All the information about the 2026 Classics will be added and amended below as it becomes available. Also be aware that cycling streaming in the UK and Ireland will move from Discovery+ to HBO Max (still via TNT Sports) from Thursday 26th March.
Guide to the 2026 Classics: The key races, distances, previous winner and Classics live TV guide
Details are subject to change as information from race organisers and broadcasters becomes available
Omloop Nieuwsblad
Cobbled Classic
When: Saturday 28th March 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: Men’s 207.6km / Women’s 137.6km
Most wins: Three – Joseph Bruyère, Ernest Sterckx, Peter Van Petegem / Two – Suzanne de Goede, Emma Johansson, Anna van der Breggen, Annemiek van Vleuten
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland), FloBikes (USA and Canada)
2025 winners: Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility), Lotte Claes (Arkéa–B&B Hotels Women)
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne (men)
Cobbled Classic
When: Sunday 1st March 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: 195km
Most wins: Three – Tom Boonen
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland), Max (USA), FloBikes (USA and Canada)
2025 winner: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Ename Samyn Classic
Cobbled Classic
When: Tuesday 3rd March 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: Men’s 205km / Women’s 135km
Most wins: Three – Johan Capiot / Three – Chantal van den Broek-Blaak
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland), Max (USA)
2025 winners: Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime)
Strade Bianche
Gravel Classic
When: Saturday 7th March 2026
Where: Tuscany, Italy
Distance: Men’s 201km / Women’s 131km
Most wins: Three – Fabian Cancellara, Tadej Pogačar / Two – Annemiek van Vleuten, Lotte Kopecky, Demi Vollering
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland), Max (USA), FloBikes (USA and Canada), SBS (Australia)
2025 winners: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez)
Trofeo Alfredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio (women)
Hilly Classic
When: Sunday 15th March 2026
Where: Italy
Distance: TBC
Most wins: Marianne Vos, Maria Canins (four)
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland), Max (USA), FloBikes (USA and Canada)
2025 winner: Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek)
Milan-San Remo
Monument
When: Saturday 21st March 2026
Where: Italy
Distance: Men’s TBC / Women’s TBC
Most wins: Seven – Eddy Merckx
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland), Max (USA), FloBikes (USA and Canada)
2025 winners: Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime)
Ronde Van Brugge – Tour of Bruges (formerly Brugge-De Panne)
Cobbled Classic
When: Men’s – Wednesday 25th March 2026 / Women’s – Thursday 26th March 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: Men’s 203km / Women’s 114km
Most wins: Five – Eric Vanderaerden / Two – Lorena Wiebes
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Sebastián Molano (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime)
E3 Saxo Classic
Cobbled Classic
When: Friday 27th March 2026
Where: Harelbeke, Belgium
Distance: 208km
Most wins: Five – Tom Boonen
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winner: Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
In Flanders Fields – From Middelkerke to Wevelgem (formerly Gent-Wevelgem)
Cobbled Classic
When: Sunday 29th March 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: Men’s 240.8km / Women’s 134.9km
Most wins: Three – Robert Van Eenaeme, Rik Van Looy, Eddy Merckx, Mario Cipollini, Tom Boonen, Peter Sagan, Mads Pedersen / Two – Kirsten Wild, Lorena Wiebes
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime)
Dwars door Vlaanderen
Cobbled Classic
When: Wednesday 1st April 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: Men’s 184.6km / Women’s 128.8km
Most wins: Two each – 14 male riders / Three – Amy Pieters
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ)
Tour of Flanders
Monument / Cobbled Classic
When: Sunday 5th April 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: Men’s 271km / Women’s 164.1km
Most wins: Three – Achiel Buysse, Fiorenzo Magni, Eric Leman, Johan Museeuw, Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara, Mathieu van der Poel / Three – Lotte Kopecky
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Scheldeprijs
Cobbled Classic
When: Wednesday 8th April 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: Men’s TBC / Women’s TBC
Most wins: Five – Marcel Kittel / Four – Lorena Wiebes
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep), Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek)
Paris-Roubaix
Monument / Cobbled Classic
When: Sunday 12th April 2026
Where: Denain to Roubaix, France
Distance: Men’s TBC / Women’s TBC
Most wins: Four – Roger De Vlaeminck, Tom Boonen / One – Lizzie Deignan, Elisa Longo Borghini, Alison Jackson, Lotte Kopecky, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Brabantse Pijl
Hilly Classic
When: Friday 17th April 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: Men’s TBC / Women’s TBC
Most wins: Four – Edwig Van Hooydonck / Two – Elisa Longo Borghini
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep), Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ)
Amstel Gold Race
Ardennes Classic
When: Sunday 19th April 2026
Where: Netherlands
Distance: Men’s 257.4km / Women’s 158.2km
Most wins: Five – Jan Raas / Two – Marianne Vos
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime)
Flèche Wallonne
Ardennes Classic
When: Wednesday 22nd April 2026
Where: Belgium
Distance: Men’s 208.8km / Women’s 148.2km
Most wins: Five – Alejandro Valverde / Seven – Anna van der Breggen
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Monument / Ardennes Classic
When: Sunday 26th April 2026
Where: Liège to Bastogne and back to Liège, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 259.5km / Women’s 156km
Most wins: Five – Eddy Merckx / Two – Anna van der Breggen, Annemiek van Vleuten, Demi Vollering
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winners: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Tro-Bro Léon (men)
Muddy Classic
When: Saturday 9th May 2026
Where: Brittany, France
Distance: TBC
Most wins: Three – Philippe Dalibard
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winner: Bastien Tronchon (Decathlon-AG2R)
Il Lombardia (men)
Monument
When: Saturday 10th October 2026
Where: Lombardy region, Italy
Distance: TBC
Most wins: Five – Fausto Coppi, Tadej Pogačar
Live TV coverage: TNT Sports (UK and Ireland)
2025 winner: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
Guide to the Classics: The Monuments
The Monument Classics are the five biggest one-day races on the calendar. They take place in three different countries, over cobbles, up and down climbs and often in the foulest of weather conditions. Alone of the five is Il Lombardia, which takes place in the autumn and after all three of cycling’s Grand Tours.
The Monuments are cycling’s oldest one-day races. Liège-Bastogne-Liège is the oldest of the five races as it was first run in 1892, and has been named La Doyenne (‘The Old Lady’) to reflect that. The event comes after the cobbled races and is better suited to a tactically astute stage racer who has brought their climbing legs.
Milan-San Remo is the first Monument of the year and is most noted for its length as riders cover around 300km. Some short, sharp climbs towards the end including the ascents of the Cipressa and Poggio make this one for the puncheurs and the punchier sprinters, but it still carries the nickname The Sprinters’ Classic. The 2025 edition of the race ended in a phenomenal three-way sprint between Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Filippo Ganna.
The Tour of Flanders takes riders over the cobbles and bergs of Belgium’s Flemish north. One for the all-out Classics specialists, De Ronde is a huge draw for fans wanting to see the best riders giving it their all on the hellingen on their way to the finish line.
Paris-Roubaix, rightly named the Queen of the Classics and the Hell of the North, is a truly gruelling day out for the riders but an incredible spectacle for fans – both on the side of the road or watching at home on the television. In 2025, both races will be on the same day for the first time.
Guide to the Classics: The Cobbled Classics
The aforementioned Tour of Flanders – known locally as De Ronde van Vlaanderen – and Paris-Roubaix are chief among the cobbled Classics, but they are by no means the only pavé-strewn races. In fact, many of the smaller Belgian races go over many of the same secteurs from race to race, including those used in De Ronde.
The four ‘cobbled classics’ are E3 Saxo Bank Classic, Gent-Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Only Tom Boonen in the men’s peloton holds the title of being the first, and only, rider to win all four races in one season (2012). Like ice when wet and almost as slippery when dusty, cobbles can be hard to negotiate at the best of times let alone in a fast-moving pack of jostling riders.
Guide to the Classics: The Ardennes Classics
There are three Ardennes Classics, although one of them is actually in the Dutch Limburg region as opposed to the actual Ardennes region. The Dutch event, Amstel Gold Race, comes first, followed by La Flèche Wallonne and finishing off with the Monument, Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The three races now take place over an eight-day period and tend to fall later in April, straight after the cobbled Classics. Due to the hilly terrain covered by the races, previous victors include Tour de France yellow jersey winners and puncheurs.
As of 2017, the women’s peloton also has its trio of races for the Ardennes Classics. Anna van der Breggen won all three in the first season and her protégé Demi Vollering did the same in 2023.
To follow all our Classics coverage, head to our hub page.
