The 2026 spring classics: Everything you need to know about the exciting one-day races

Milan-San Remo - 21 March

The true prelude to the classics season, the first of the five so-called monuments. In Italy, they call the race La Classicissima, the "super classic", or "La Primavera", the ride into spring from the often still foggy Po Valley to the Mediterranean. For men, it is the longest race of the season, covering almost 300 kilometres. The women's race was only held again last year after a long break.

WOMEN

21 MARCH

2nd edition

Premiere 2025

• Start NN*
• Goal San Remo, Via Roma
• Route length approx. 150 km*

MEN

21 MARCH

117th edition

Premiere 1907

• Start NN*
• Goal San Remo, Via Roma
• Route length 298 km

All details about the men's race can be found here

The details of the route of the women's race can be found here

Everything you need to know about the race can be found here

THE HOTSPOT FOR FANS

The TOUR tip: The ascent to the Poggio can be considered a fixed point. The Piazza della Libertà in Poggio di Sanremo, from where the racers set off on the final climb towards the finish, is a meeting point for fans.

Tour of Flanders - 5 April

The Belgians call Flanders' most beautiful the most important cycling race in their homeland - the traditional event is something of a pride of the Flemish and a spring festival on the roadside. The cobbled steep sections, the Hellingen, are the key sections of the race. The professional cyclists sweat, the fans drink.

WOMEN

5 APRIL

23rd edition

Premiere 2004

• Start Oudenaarde, market; 1.15 p.m.
• Goal Oudenaarde, Minderbroederstraat; approx. 5.30 pm
• Route length 164.1 km

All details about the women's course

MEN

5 APRIL

110th edition

Premiere 1913

• Start Antwerp, Ernest van Dijckkaai, 10 a.m.
• Goal Oudenaarde, Minderbroederstraat, approx. 16.20 hrs
• Route length 271 km

All the details about the men's race and the course

THE HOTSPOT FOR FANS

The crowds throng the Oude Kwaremont; Tadej Pogačar recently won the race there, the steep and slippery Koppenberg has forced many pros to walk, but the Paterberg, the last steep section before the finish, offers the best view of who is likely to win the race.

Paris Roubaix - 5 April

The race is known as the ride through the "Hell of the North" - the route is largely flat, but still extremely painful due to the long pavé sections. For the first time, men and women start Paris-Roubaix on the same day and reach the finish in the Roubaix velodrome around one and a half hours apart.

News about Paris-Roubaix 2026: Women start on the same day as the men

The men's course in detail

The women's course in detail

WOMEN

5 APRIL

6th edition

Premiere 2021

• Start Denain, Hotel de Ville; 2.35 pm
• Goal Roubaix, Vélodrome, approx. 18.00 hrs
• Route length 144 km, including 33.7 km of cobblestones

MEN

5 APRIL

123rd edition

Premiere 1896

• Start Compiègne, Place General de Gaulle, 10.50 a.m.
• Goal Roubaix, Vélodrome; approx. 4.30 pm
• Route length 258.3 km, including 54.8 km of cobblestones

THE HOTSPOT FOR FANS

The men's race usually gets off to the right start in the Arenberg forest, but the decision is often made in the 5-star Carrefour de l'Arbre sector, where a dense and noisy line of fans awaits the racers - and both men and women pass through

Amstel Gold Race - 19 April

The most important cycle race in the Netherlands celebrates its 60th birthday this year. This makes it a youngster and therefore not one of the five monuments. In sporting terms, however, it is on a par with the other spring classics.

WOMEN

19 APRIL

13th edition

Premiere 2001

• Start Market, Maastricht; 10.10 a.m.
• Goal Berg-en-Terblijt, Rijksweg; approx. 2 p.m.
• Route length 158.2 km

MEN

19 APRIL

61st edition

Premiere 1966

• Start Maastricht, Markt, 11.10 a.m.
• Goal Berg-en-Terblijt, Rijksweg, approx. 5 p.m.
• Route length 257.4 km

THE HOTSPOT FOR FANS

The Cauberg is something like the starting ramp to victory - the finish in Berg-en-Terblijt is only around 2.5 kilometres away from the highest point. The peloton passes the climb in Valkenburg up to five times (for the women) and there are plenty of places to stop for refreshments at the ruins of the eponymous Valkenburg.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège - 26 April

The topographically most difficult spring classic. The men have to climb more than 4,000 metres in altitude. "LBL" is also called "La Doyenne", the oldest. The first edition took place in 1892, four years before the premiere of Paris-Roubaix

WOMEN

26 APRIL

10th edition

Premiere 2017

• Start Bastogne
• Goal Liège
• Route length 156 km with 10 climbs ("Côtes")

MEN

26 APRIL

112th edition

Premiere 1892

• Start Liège
• Goal Liège
• Route length 259.5 km with 11 climbs

THE HOTSPOT FOR FANS

The mixture of accessibility (directly at the motorway exit), views and difficulty makes the Côte de la Redoute a meeting point for international cycling fans. It starts on the northern outskirts of Sougné. An alternative is the steep La Roche-aux-Faucons section, the last long and steep climb of the race, north of Méry (Esneux).