Monument Top 5

Pross

Rick Chasey wrote:

:roll: we all know the Worlds has replaced Lombardy as the 5th monument as it's a race riders actually prepare for rather than treat as an afterthought.

1. Roubaix
2. Flanders
3. MSR



4. Worlds
5. LBL



















Basement: Lombardy :twisted:

Always thought you were a Flanders fan over PR?

For me it's

Roubaix
Flanders

The other three vary but are all a long way behind. Used to love LBL but most recent editions have been poor, Lombardy is a great course with often very good racing but just suffers from end of term syndrome. MSR was always my least favourite but has grown on me recently and offers the chance for a wide variety of rider to win.

joelsim

Pross wrote:

offers the chance for a wide variety of rider to win.

Not sure about that. I can only see 6 riders who could win it.

From a reduced bunch sprint
Gaviria
Matthews
Bouhanni
Kristoff

From anything else
GVA
Cancellara

And yes, I have remembered Sagan. He won't win it in either scenario.

LeePaton

Flanders
Roubaix
Lombardy
MSR
World's.

I don't really enjoy the climbing classics bar Lombardy for some reason. Also flanders over roubaix as I put Roubaix on such a pedestal it's always a let down.

andyp

Flanders has had more shit winners than any other of the monuments.

Roubaix is an anachronism, a throwback to the (shit) past. Rick claims Lombardy suffers from no one targeting it, but only a tiny handful of the top riders in the world have a chance of winning Roubaix.

Liege has been dull since the finish moved to Ans, proving that by making the finish hard you remove the spectacle from the race. ASO should move the finish back to the centre of Liege, which would make it a tactically more nuanced race.

Lombardy is the most beautiful race in the world. MSR is, as someone else, a slow burning thriller, which can be won by sprinters, puncheurs and even, although rarely these days, by GT contenders.

So my ranking would be;

Lombardy
MSR
Flanders
Roubaix
Liege

rick_chasey

Sure only a handful of riders target Roubaix (rather like Lombardy) but they do define their season around success or failure in the Flanders Roubaix combo. Entire teams will be dedicated to riding all the semi classics in the build up, Omloop, E3, gent wevelgem, de panne etc. For a group of riders those races are IT.

Riders up for Liege will certainly define the first half of their season for it. They will also have certain teams focused on it.

Rarely, if ever, do you see a rider define a major part of their season by Lombardy. It's an after thought, like I said.

It's a fine race but you can't get excited about it if the riders don't.

joelsim

Rick Chasey wrote:

Sure only a handful of riders target Roubaix (rather like Lombardy) but they do define their season around success or failure in the Flanders Roubaix combo. Entire teams will be dedicated to riding all the semi classics in the build up, Omloop, E3, gent wevelgem, de panne etc. For a group of riders those races are IT.

Riders up for Liege will certainly define the first half of their season for it. They will also have certain teams focused on it.

Rarely, if ever, do you see a rider define a major part of their season by Lombardy. It's an after thought, like I said.

It's a fine race but you can't get excited about it if the riders don't.

Canc, Stybar, and a few others, although ITT Worlds and Olympics for Fabian. Sep may as well hang up his shoes for the year after PR.

DeVlaeminck

andyp wrote:

Rick claims Lombardy suffers from no one targeting it, but only a tiny handful of the top riders in the world have a chance of winning Roubaix.

Bit like the Tour then ?

RichN95.

Joelsim wrote:

Pross wrote:

offers the chance for a wide variety of rider to win.

Not sure about that. I can only see 6 riders who could win it.

From a reduced bunch sprint
Gaviria
Matthews
Bouhanni
Kristoff

From anything else
GVA
Cancellara

And yes, I have remembered Sagan. He won't win it in either scenario.

In the last few years we've seen a wide diversity of riders get on the podium. From Nibali to Cavendish via Gerrans and Cancellara.
No other classic has had a Tour winner and a Green jersey winner (two in fact) on it's podium.

disgruntledgoat

RichN95 wrote:

Joelsim wrote:

Pross wrote:

offers the chance for a wide variety of rider to win.

Not sure about that. I can only see 6 riders who could win it.

From a reduced bunch sprint
Gaviria
Matthews
Bouhanni
Kristoff

From anything else
GVA
Cancellara

And yes, I have remembered Sagan. He won't win it in either scenario.

In the last few years we've seen a wide diversity of riders get on the podium. From Nibali to Cavendish via Gerrans and Cancellara.
No other classic has had a Tour winner and a Green jersey winner (two in fact) on it's podium.

Didn't Merckx win all of them? Thus meaning they all have.

RichN95.

disgruntledgoat wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

In the last few years we've seen a wide diversity of riders get on the podium. From Nibali to Cavendish via Gerrans and Cancellara.
No other classic has had a Tour winner and a Green jersey winner (two in fact) on it's podium.

Didn't Merckx win all of them? Thus meaning they all have.

"In the last few years"

mr_poll

Rick Chasey wrote:

Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful part of the world. Seriously considered having my honeymoon there. I've been to the Church.

It's decent racing too. Decent winners list etc.

But it's hard to take it seriously when so few riders base their season around it. It's the Vuelta of the classics. The last chance saloon for those who can still be arsed.

Depends how you judge a race - personally as it isn't targeted then, there has been over recent years, more unpredictability over who might win - makes the racing a little more exciting IMO. The parcours tends to lend it itself to aggressive racing unlike MSR where not much happens until the Cipressa. And as you say it is beautiful - if I am going to sit and watch something for 3 hours, it is great to marvel at the scenery when the racing lulls.

rick_chasey

mr_poll wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful part of the world. Seriously considered having my honeymoon there. I've been to the Church.

It's decent racing too. Decent winners list etc.

But it's hard to take it seriously when so few riders base their season around it. It's the Vuelta of the classics. The last chance saloon for those who can still be arsed.

Depends how you judge a race - personally as it isn't targeted then, there has been over recent years, more unpredictability over who might win - makes the racing a little more exciting IMO.

Should try watching some cat 4 racing then

milton50

Rick Chasey wrote:

:roll: we all know the Worlds has replaced Lombardy as the 5th monument as it's a race riders actually prepare for rather than treat as an afterthought.

If we're counting the Worlds as a monument then in terms of prestige it's surely second only to Roubaix?

I also agree with what a few people have said about Lombardy's position in the season. It's a good race and great parcours but it generally has an end of term feel to it.

My subjective opinion:

Flanders
Roubaix
MSR
Lombardy
Liege

ocdupalais

I'm with Hinault - Paris Roubaix is a novelty/circus act: it's a celebration of the bleak.
It's a great race but the idea of it being top dog gets way too much credence.
Probably the greatest cycling nation of the last 30 years has had pretty much 1 rider show up for P-R in the last decade - Flecha.

rick_chasey

Not that great is it then?

Then again, it's a nation that can't eat dinner at reasonable times and has no big one day classics *shrugs*

Shadowrider

1 PR
2 MSR
3 Flanders
4 Lombardi
5 LBL

That's my order although does vary often

ozzzyosborn206

Flanders with the muur top without P-R trumps it
Worlds
LBL
MSR

as a whole, last 50 or so k of MSR is awesome but 200-250 k before it is no fun to watch. I also like Amstel and Strade Bianche, i think in in 20 years or so SB will be huge