Tour of Flanders, followed by Paris-Roubaix. Flanders is an amazing race, held on an incredible course. It's more varied than Roubaix, and it's tougher to pick a winner.
A man of my own thinking, what I like about Flanders is how incredibly steep the climbs are- and on cobbles! The countryside and bleakness make these real races for the tough guys.
I agree with you Ivan - that's what I like about it, as well as all the twists and turns and narrow roads. I rode the whole bloody thing year and gained a new appreciation of what the pros have to go through. The 130km that you've done in the wind and rain before you hit the 'hill zone' really takes the sting out of your legs. And you're only halfway at that point!
Flanders is the best in my opinion, it always has top action and the toughness of the course is what makes it special.
Roubaix and fleche are my other two fave classics but Flanders just has that special something.
Having ridden the courses of 3 of the monuments - Flanders, P-Rx and L-B-L, I'd say that P-Rx is outstanding because of the toughness / severity of the course and consequently the outright strength and agression required to win it. At the other extreme, L-B-L is an epic course due to the unrelenting hills which therefore requires a degree of fitness and is the true 'racer's race'. Flanders is somewhere inbetween, with both the hills and the cobbles to break it up. I disagree about the cobbles spoiling the race - strength, technique and teamworks counts for as much as luck on the day - LeFevre hasn't won it 8 times purely by chance
Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
The Tour of Lombardy - quite simply it is a beautiful race.
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100% agree with that one.
I would love to go and watch it one day, with a nice cup of coffee in a lakeside cafe...(looks out of the window at mist and darkness of a Cambs winter day)
Paris Roubaix for me http://www.cervelo.com/home.aspx?ref=1024:768 click on cervelo tv for some nice clips.Notice in Paris Roubaix that Boonen goes through a closed railway barrier,on a double track rail but doesn't get disqualified like the other 3 riders,WHY???
Its a cracking finish, but give me a scenic Italian climb over the dark brick houses of that climb in Ans any time. http://fenlandclarioncc.wordpress.com/
paris roubaix for me -- got to watch it in person in 2001, in the rain, on the cobbles. it's no wonder hinault called it a circus, but a spectacular one that.
Lombardy. Can I also add (don't laugh) San Sebastian, I went a few years ago and my memories are influenced by the meal we had in a fantastic seafood restaurant that evening.
I think as an all-round event you can't go far wrong with the Tour of Flanders. It has such a great atmosphere especially with the parcours weaving around all the different bergs.
But, as far as an epic one-day event goes - nothing gets close to Paris Roubaix. The cobbles look bad enough on TV. Seeing them first hand really makes you realise just how hard the conditions are
I have just got back from Het Volk/ K-B-Kuurne again. Pozzatto(no 124)watched the
Belgians play and then took off. Beautiful to watch and remember. YES I like your choices but I never miss The ARDENNES CLASSICS because thats where the "BIG" boys
start to flex their muscles. This Year we might see BASSO.
Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
I am back on line now that I'm home from my wanderings.
The ARDENNES were Great this year and I was suprised after
the GIRO that Di Luca has become one of the "BIG" Boys!
Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
Posts
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Jeff Jones
European News Editor, Bike Online Project
I feel pain!!!!
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Jeff Jones
European News Editor, Bike Online Project
But Lombardy wins it - More beautiful, really hard and usually the best guy wins. The cobbles can rob the best guys of victory just through bad luck.
Roubaix and fleche are my other two fave classics but Flanders just has that special something.
No guestion !
AmerliN[:o)]
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YES I DID............BOOOOOOYAH
aMERLIn
<font color="green">"LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO RIDE CRACKED CARBON"</font id="green">
The Tour of Lombardy - quite simply it is a beautiful race.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
100% agree with that one.
I would love to go and watch it one day, with a nice cup of coffee in a lakeside cafe...(looks out of the window at mist and darkness of a Cambs winter day)
http://fenlandclarioncc.wordpress.com/
My blog and pod...
Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
http://fenlandclarioncc.wordpress.com/
My blog and pod...
Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
Ed
http://www.rolfraehansen.com
But, as far as an epic one-day event goes - nothing gets close to Paris Roubaix. The cobbles look bad enough on TV. Seeing them first hand really makes you realise just how hard the conditions are
Keep The Rubber Side Down
Great question to get us all looking forward to the new season! Mine is Paris Roubaix!
www.cycleseen.com
Belgians play and then took off. Beautiful to watch and remember. YES I like your choices but I never miss The ARDENNES CLASSICS because thats where the "BIG" boys
start to flex their muscles. This Year we might see BASSO.
The ARDENNES were Great this year and I was suprised after
the GIRO that Di Luca has become one of the "BIG" Boys!