Cycling spring Classics 2022: Race dates, Monuments, cobbles and live TV guide
Arguably the best time of the year, the spring Classics are amazing to watch and gruelling to ride: here's the latest information
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 – the 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.
After the rejigged schedules of the past two seasons, it looks like 2022 is back to ‘normal’. We'll update this page as more information from race organisers becomes available.
The Classics: which races make the cut?
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.
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.
The spring Classics are often more entertaining than any given day of a Grand Tour or other stage race as big teams can’t kill off the excitement or viewing pleasure with metronomic control and nor can those with ambitions for the win sit back, limit their losses and make up for it the following day.
One-day races are all or nothing and are all the better for it.
This guide will tell you all you need to know about the Classics, including a run down of the key races, live television coverage, discussion of the Monuments and praise of the cobbles.
All the information about the 2022 spring Classics will be added and amended below as it becomes available.
Guide to the 2022 Classics: The key races, Classics live TV guide and race reports
Details are subject to change as information from race organisers and broadcasters becomes available
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Cobbled Classic
When: Saturday 26th February 2022
Where: Gent, Belgium; Ninove, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 204.2km / Women’s 128.4km
Most wins: Three – Joseph Bruyère, Ernest Sterckx, Peter Van Petegem / Two – Suzanne de Goede, Emma Johansson, Anna van der Breggen
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2021 winners: Davide Ballerini / Anna van der Breggen
Live TV coverage: Men's 12:30-15:30 / Women's 15:35-17:00; GCN+, Eurosport, Eurosport Player
Read more: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Who are the men's favourites?
Read more: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Who are the women's favourites?
Read more: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2022: Route, riders and all you need to know
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Cobbled Classic
When: Sunday 27th February 2022
Where: Kuurne to [23km west of] Brussels and back to Kuurne
Distance: 195.1km
Most wins: Three – Tom Boonen
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2021 winner: Mads Pedersen
Live TV coverage: 13:30-16:00; GCN+, Eurosport, Eurosport Player
Le Samyn
Cobbled Classic
When: Tuesday 1st March 2022
Where: Quaregnon to Dour, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 209km / Women’s 99.4km
Most wins: Three – Johan Capiot / Three – Chantal van den Broek-Blaak
Le Samyn 2021 winners: Tim Merlier / Lotte Kopecky
Live TV coverage: Women’s 12:50-14:05 / Men’s 14:05-16:05; GCN+, Eurosport, Eurosport Player
Strade Bianche
When: Saturday 5th March 2022
Where: Tuscany, Italy
Distance: Men’s 184km / Women’s 136km. Both men's and women's include 50km+ of unpaved white roads
Most wins: Three – Fabian Cancellara / Two – Annemiek van Vleuten
Strade Bianche 2021 winners: Mathieu van der Poel / Chantal van den Broek-Blaak
Live TV coverage: Women’s TBC / Men’s TBC; GCN+, Eurosport, Eurosport Player
Key information: Strade Bianche: Route, riders and all you need to know
Read more: Strade Bianche 2022: Who are the favourites and who is going to win?
Read more: Mathieu van der Poel's insane Strade Bianche watts revealed
Milan-San Remo
Monument
When: Saturday 19th March 2022
Where: Milan to San Remo, Italy
Distance: 293km
Most wins: Seven – Eddy Merckx
Milan-San Remo 2021 winner: Jasper Stuyven
UK live television coverage: TBC; GCN+, Eurosport, Eurosport Player
Watch live: How to watch and live steam Milan-San Remo 2021
Favourites: Milan-San Remo 2021: Who is going to win?
Key information: Milan-San Remo: Route, riders and all you need to know
Read more: A day in history: The epic 2013 Milan-San Remo
Read more: Striving for Milan-San Remo: Philippe Gilbert profile
Read more: Comment – Peter Sagan is back, we think
Brugge-De Panne
Cobbled Classic
When: Men's – Wednesday 23th March 2022 / Women's – Thursday 24th March 2022
Where: Brugge to De Panne, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 207.9km / Women’s 162.8km
Brugge-De Panne 2021 winners: Sam Bennett / Grace Brown
Live TV coverage: Men’s TBC; GCN+ Eurosport, Eurosport Player / Women’s TBC; GCN+ Eurosport, Eurosport Player
E3 Saxo Bank Classic
Cobbled Classic
When: Friday 25th March 2022
Where: Harelbeke, Belgium
Distance: 203.9km
E3 2021 winner: Kasper Asgreen
Most wins: Five – Tom Boonen
Live TV coverage: TBC; GCN+, Eurosport, Eurosport Player
Gent-Wevelgem
Cobbled Classic
When: Sunday 27th March 2022
Where: Deinze (south of Gent) to Wevelgem
Distance: Men’s 249km / Women’s 159km
Gent-Wevelgem 2021 winners: Wout van Aert / Marianne Vos
Most wins: Three – Robert Van Eenaeme, Rik Van Looy, Eddy Merckx, Mario Cipollini, Tom Boonen / Two – Kirsten Wild
Live TV coverage: Men’s TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+ / Women’s TBC; Eurosport 1, Eurosport Player, GCN+
Dwars Door Vlaanderen
Cobbled Classic
When: Wednesday 30st March 2022
Where: Roeselare to Waregem, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 183.7km / Women’s 122km
Dwars Door Vlaanderen 2021 winners: Dylan van Baarle / Annemiek van Vleuten
Most wins: Two each – 12 male riders / Three – Amy Pieters
Live TV coverage: TBC; Eurosport 1, Eurosport Player, GCN+
Tour of Flanders
Monument / Cobbled Classic
When: Sunday 3th April 2022
Where: Antwerp to Oudenaarde, Flanders, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 272.5km / Women’s 158.5km
Tour of Flanders 2021 winners: Kasper Asgreen / Annemiek van Vleuten
Most wins: Three – Achiel Buysse, Fiorenzo Magni, Eric Leman, Johan Museeuw, Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara / Two – Mirjam Melchers-van Poppel, Judith Arndt, Annemiek van Vleuten
Live TV coverage: Men’s TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+ / Women’s TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+
More information: Tour of Flanders: Route, riders and all you need to know
Latest news: Gallery – Kasper Asgreen rips up the script at the Tour of Flanders
Scheldeprijs
Cobbled Classic
When: Wednesday 6th April 2021
Where: Antwerp, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 193.8km / Women’s 136.2km
Scheldeprijs 2021 winners: Jasper Philipsen / Lorena Wiebes
Most wins: Four – Marcel Kittel
Live TV coverage: GCN+
Paris-Roubaix
Monument / Cobbled Classic
When: Saturday 16th April / Sunday 17th April 2022 Where: (North of) Paris to Roubaix, France
Distance: Men’s 260km / Women’s 116.4km
Paris-Roubaix 2021 winners: Sonny Colbrelli / Lizzie Deignan
Most wins: Four – Roger De Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen
Live TV coverage: TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+
More information: Paris-Roubaix: Route, riders and all you need to know
Read more: Gallery: A Paris-Roubaix for the ages
Read more: Paris-Roubaix Femmes: Inside Vélodrome André-Pétrieux
Brabantse Pijl
When: Wednesday 13th April 2022
Where: Brabant, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 200km / Women’s 121km
Brabantse Pijl 2021 winners: Tom Pidcock / Ruth Winder
Most wins: Four – Edwig Van Hooydonck / Six different winners in six editions of the women's race
Live TV coverage: TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+
Amstel Gold
Ardennes Classic
When: Sunday 10th April 2022
Where: Limburg, the Netherlands
Distance: Men’s 263km / Women’s 116.3km
Amstel Gold 2021 winners: Wout van Aert (Tom Pidcock was robbed) / Marianne Vos
Most wins: Five – Jan Raas
Live TV coverage: TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+
Flèche Wallonne
Ardennes Classic
When: Wednesday 20st April 2022
Where: Wallonia, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 202.1km / Women’s 133.4km
Flèche Wallonne 2021 winners: Julian Alaphilippe / Anna van der Breggen
Most wins: Five – Alejandro Valverde / Seven – Anna van der Breggen
Live TV coverage: TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Monument / Ardennes Classic
When: Sunday 24th April 2022
Where: Liège to Bastogne and back again, Belgium
Distance: Men’s 254.7km / Women’s 142.1km
Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2021 winners: Tadej Pogačar / Demi Vollering
Most wins: Five – Eddy Merckx / Two – Anna van der Breggen
Live TV coverage: TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+
More information: Liège-Bastogne-Liège: route, riders and all you need to know
Tro-Bro Léon
When: Sunday 15th May 2022
Where: Brittany, France
Distance: Includes 30km of cobbles, gravel and unmade roads
Most recent winner: Connor Swift
Most wins: Three – Philippe Dalibard
Live TV coverage: TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+
Sportive review: Hell of the West: Tro Bro Leon sportive review
Il Lombardia
Monument
When: Saturday 8th October 2022
Where: Lombardy region, Italy
Distance: 241km
Most recent winner: Tadej Pogačar
Most wins: Five – Fausto Coppi
Live TV coverage: TBC; Eurosport, Eurosport Player, GCN+
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 this. The event comes after the cobbled races and is better suited to a tactically astute stage racer who's brought their climbing legs.
Milan-San Remo is the first Monument of the year and is most noted for its length as the parcours covers almost 300km. Some short, sharp climbs towards the end such as ascents of the Cipressa and Poggio, make this one for the puncheurs and the punchier sprinters, but it still carried the nickname The Sprinters’ Classic.
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 referred to by many as the Hell of the North, is a truly gruelling day out for the riders but an incredible spectactle for fans – both on the side of the road or watching at home on the television.
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.
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.
Former pros like Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara and Johan Museeuw sailed over the pavé to famous Monument wins.
All eyes in recent years have been on cyclocross World Champions Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel.
Guide to the Classics: The Ardennes Classics
There are three Ardennes Classics, although one of them is actually in the Dutch Limburg region. The Dutch event comes first in the shape of the Amstel Gold Race, followed by La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a Monument.
The three races now take place in an eight day period and tend to fall later in April, after the Cobbled Classics. Due to the hilly terrain covered by the three races, previous victors include Tour de France overall winners, puncheurs and top domestiques.
