Spring Classics: 2016 guide

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Belgian Week on Cyclingnews

The Spring Classics are a unique collection of deeply entrenched and historic one-day races that span Northern Europe and that cut right to the core of what makes cycling such a remarkably special sport. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the punchy bergs of the Tour of Flanders, they are a part of cycling’s tradition and provide some of the most exciting and memorable moments in the sport's history.

A Fabian Cancellara impersonation from Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) was picture perfect as the young Belgian soloed to Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne victory following a blistering late attack. Stuyven spoke post-race of not having the "guts to fight on the Taaienberg" the day before at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad but there was redemption Sunday for the 23-year-old. "Indirectly I thought about it today, that it was a nice revenge to pay tribute to him. My grandfather was a super fan of mine. He would’ve been extremely proud," Stuyven said of the memory of his grandfather to whom he paid tribute with his victory salute, pointing to the heavens.

The first monument of the season is also the longest of the five with the total distance of Milan-San Remo often stretching out over 300km as the neutralised zone takes the peloton out of Milan's inner city. If the distance so early in the season hasn't been an issue for the riders, in recent years there has been snow, sleet and rain as the weather conditions have ensured La Classicissima remains one of the hardest one-day races on the calendar.

Milan-San Remo traditionally starts in the Piazza del Duomo with the first half of the race taking the peloton through Lombardy and Piedmont en route to the first climb of the day, the Passo del Turchino. From the climb, the peloton skirts the Ligurian Coast where the famous climbs of Capo Mele, Capo Cervo and Capo Berta, the Cipressa and the all important Poggio await before the Via Roma finale in San Remo.

Defending champion John Degenkolb is out of the race as he continues to recover from injuries sustained when he and his Giant-Alpecin teammates were hit by a car while training in Spain late-last month. While the German will be missed in 2016, there is no shortage of potential winners with Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo) aiming for a second title on his last appearance, and World Champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) building for his best spring campaign yet. Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) has improved a year on from his second place and 2014 champion Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) has demonstrated he is in form with five wins in Qatar and Oman.

Attacks from Michal Kwiatkowski Vincenzo Nibali lit up the race off the Poggio before Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and Greg Van Avermaet both tired to take a flyer with one kilometre remaining but it would come back for a sprint finish. As Gaviria and disrupted the sprint, Jurgen Roelandts lead out with Nacer Bouhanni challenging before he jumped a chain just as Demare passed for the win with Team Sky's Ben Swift surging late for second place.

Peter Sagan won his first race in the rainbow stripes as he outsprinted a small group of Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo), Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Katusha) and Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo). The cobbled Kemmelberg proved to be the crucial point of the race as Cancellara, Sagan and Vanmarcke powered away from a reduced peloton to quickly catch Kuznetsov who had preempted the moved by getting up the road.

With 20km to the finish line and a group containing several sprinters, it was touch and go whether the quartet would stay away. With cooperation at the front, the peloton knew the chase was over and the mind games started in the quartet. Kuznetsov was the first rider to jump with 200 metres to go and while Cancellara struggled with cramps, Sagan followed then passed the Katusha man with Vanmarcke nipping in for second. To read our race report from 2015, click here.

Six riders have won three editions of Flanders and two of those are lining up for what is likely to be the final time in their careers. Fabian Cancellara, a winner in 2010, 2013 and 2014, missed the 2015 edition of the race due to fractured vertebrae but has become an honorary Belgian due to his feats. Tom Boonen, though, is a superstar in home country and is expected to win on each occasion he lines up in the Bruges market square to start the race.

A fast start to the race ensured 70km were covered before the breakaway went away as the peloton then started to splinter on the way to the finishing circuits with the iconic hellingen of Flanders but not before Greg Van Avermaet and his BMC teammates hit the deck, ending the race for one of the favourites. While Van Avermaet was on his way to the hospital, the favourites were starting to make their moves with the race clicking over the 200km mark.

An attack from Michal Kwiatkowski was followed by Sagan with only Sep Vanmarcke sending the danger of the move as Fabian Cancellara set two-time winner Stijn Devolder the task of bring the trio back. The trio linked up the various riders who made their way up the road or were the remnants from the break but once on the Paterberg it was Sagan and Vanmarcke with Cancellara powering his way forward in vain as the world champion surged to victory. To read our race report from 2015, click here.

Paris-Roubaix, 'queen of the classics', is an anachronism in many aspects, sending riders over cobbled roads that only open for one day of the year, and finishing in the Roubaix velodrome. Paris-Roubaix is loved and lauded and hated and despised with equal measures by the riders who have taken part in the race. Theo de Rooij famously described Paris-Roubaix as, "It's a bollocks, this race!" before replying, when asked if he would take part again, "Sure, it's the most beautiful race in the world!"

The cobbled sectors of Paris-Roubaix make the race with names such as Trouée d'Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre just three examples that keep riders up at night. Varying in length and difficulty, the cobbled sectors initially were used out of necessity - there were no other roads the race could use. With the advent of live television coverage of the race, there were fears that the cobbled roads would reflect badly on Northern France with suggestions the local councils couldn't afford new roads. Thankfully the cobbles remain, there is even 'a friends of the cobbles society - Les Amis de Paris Roubaix - who now look after the sectors and ensure they remain instrinsic features of Paris-Roubaix

Pre-race favourites Peter Sagan and Alexander Kristoff, Wiggins, and defending champion Terpstra found themselves out of contention as the front group rode into the velodrome. Once the nine-rider front group arrived on the boards, it was a foregone conclusion that Degenkolb, the fastest sprinter from the bunch, would be claiming a second Monument of the spring and just the second ever Roubaix victory for Germany. To read our race report, click here.

The relatively new Classic - it was first run in 1966 - starts in Maastricht and ends with three circuits on the Cauberg. The first two times up the 1.5-kilometre climb typically splits the race into select groups, while the final ascent decides the race winner. In recent years the finish has moved just beyond the summit of the Cauberg, adding a new dynamic to the race with riders having to alter their acceleration to the line.