01 March 2015

Classics Schedule for 2015

The race has begun

When I am asked what or where my favorite bike races are held, I smile with great sentiment and excitement and always respond, "Oh, the Classics, the cobbles!". Without a doubt, the Classics are the most grueling test of man and bike against the elements. Sure cycling is a team sport, but the classics are the hardest races to predict ahead of time because they most often come down to one day and the will of one man on that day.

The Classics demonstrate the true beauty of bike racing - they are hard, unknown, and glory at its very best.

Today I updated the Pedal Dancer Guide Page to the SPRING CLASSICS.

Here is a list of the 2015 Cycling Classics by date with links to the official race website or to Steephill.TV: offering news, rosters, video, live viewing and results for each race. For more links and news about the Classics also visit Cycling Fans. You can expect websites to be updated closer to race date:

Feb 19, 2015 Trofeo-Laigueglia - Winner: Davide Cimolai (Lampre-Merida)
Feb 28, 2015 Omloop Het Nieuw - Winner: Ian Stannard (SKY)
Mar 1, 2015 Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne - Winner: Mark Cavendish (Etixx-Quick Step)
Mar 4, 2015 Le Samyn - Winner: Kris Boeckmans (Lotto Soudal)
Mar 7, 2015 Strade Bianche - Winner:  Zdenek Stybar (Etixx - Quick Step) 
Mar 22, 2015 Milan-San Remo - Winner: John Degenkolb (Giant - Alpecin)
Mar 25, 2015 Dwars d Vlaanderen - Winner: Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise)
Mar 27, 2015 E3 - Harelbeke - Winner: Geraint Thomas (Sky)
Mar 29, 2015 Gent-Wevelgem - Winner: Luca Paolini (Katusha) 
Apr 5, 2015 Tour of Flanders - Winner: Alexander Kristoff (Katusha)
Apr 8, 2015 Scheldeprijs - Winner: Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) 
Apr 12, 2015 Paris-Roubaix - Winner: John Degenkolb (Giant - Alpecin)
Apr 15, 2015 De Brabantse Pijl - Winner: Ben Hermans (BMC) 
Apr 19, 2015 Amstel Gold - Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-Quick Step)
Apr 22, 2015 La Flèche Wallonne - Winner: Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
Apr 26, 2015 Liège-Bastogne-Liège - Winner: Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
Aug 1, 2015 San Sebastian
Sep 11, 2015 GP Cycliste Québec
Sep 13, 2015 GP Cycliste Montreal
Oct 4, 2015 Il Lombardia

News: 03/09/15 : Tom Boonen Injury Update: Out of Northern Classics

LINKS TO OFFICIAL RACE WEBSITES

Spring Classics = Milan-San Remo + Cobbled Classics + Ardennes Classics

La Primavera

Milano-Sanremo - 22 March 2015 (Italy)

Cobbled Classics

E3 Harelbeke - 27 March 2015 (Belgium)
Gent-Wevelgem - 29 March 2015 (Belgium)
Tour des Flandres - 5 April 2015 (Belgium) (Ronde van Vlaanderen)
Paris-Roubaix -12 April 2015 (France)

Ardennes Classics

Amstel Gold - 19 April 2015 (The Netherlands)
La Flèche Wallonne - 22 April 2015 (Belgium)
Liège–Bastogne–Liège - 26 April 2015 (Belgium)

The biggest races of them all:

The Monuments:

Milano-Sanremo - 22 March 2015 (Italy)
Tour des Flandres - 5 April 2015 (Belgium) (Ronde van Vlaanderen)
Paris-Roubaix -12 April 2015 (France)
Liège–Bastogne–Liège - 26 April 2015 (Belgium)
Il Lombardia - 4 October 2014 (Italy)

It's not all about the Spring:

Fall Classics:

Clásica Ciclista San Sabastian - 1 August 2015, Spain
Paris-Tours - 10 November 2015
Trittico de Atunno made up of 3 races:
Milano Torino - 1 October 2015 
Giro del Piemonte - 3 October 2015
Il Lombardia - 4 October 2015

Worlds

UCI Worlds - 19-27 September 2014, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Nicknames for the Classics

Paris-Roubaix = Queen of the Classics (La Reine), The Hell of the North, La Pascale
Amstel Gold = [no nickname]
La Fleche-Wallonne = The Walloon Arrow
Liege-Bastogne-Liege = La Doyenne (the oldest/old lady)
Milan-San Remo = La Primavera (the spring), Sprinters' Classic, La Classicissima
Ronde van Vlaanderen = Flanders' most beautiful (Vlaanderens mooiste)
Paris-Nice = Race to the Sun
Tirreno-Adriatico = Race of the two Seas
Il Lombardia = Race of the Falling Leaves

Ian Stannard.  Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
Steephill video clip of Ian Stannard's win of Omloop Het Nieuw on February 28th: Race Recap of the last 40 km (04:53 English)cycling.tv. Or read: Ian Stannard wins Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for second year in a row, Sky Sports.

Video of Mark Cvendish's sprint to win Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on March 1st: Last Km (1:08 English)eurosport

Pedal Dancer Classics Guide Page Updated Today! Read more at the Pedal Dancer Guide Page: SPRING CLASSICS

Who won last year (2014)?
 
2014 Trofeo-Laigueglia - Winner: José Serpa
2014 Omloop Het Nieuw - Winner: Ian Stannard (SKY)
2015 Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne - Winner:Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) 
2015 Le Samyn - Winner:Maxime Vanttomme(Roubaix Lille Metropole)
2015 Strade Bianche - Winner: Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) 
2014 Milan-San Remo - Winner: Alexander Kristoff (Katusha)
2014 E3 - Harelbeke - Winner: Peter Sagan (Cannondale)
2014 Gent-Wevelgem - Winner: John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano)
2014 Tour of Flanders - Winner: Fabian Cancellara (Trek)
2014 Scheldeprijs - Winner: Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano)
2014 Paris-Roubaix - Winner: Nikki Terpstra (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)
2014 De Brabantse Pijl - Winner:  Philippe Gilbert (BMC)
2014 Amstel Gold - Winner:  Philippe Gilbert (BMC)
2014 La Flèche Wallonne - Winner: Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
2014 Liege-Bastogne-Liege - Winner: Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) 
2014 San Sebastian - Winner: Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
2014 GP Cycliste Québec - Winner: Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge)
2014 GP Cycliste Montreal - Winner: Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge)
2014 Il Lombardia - Winner: Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp)