- The Cobbled Classics form a unique part
of the pro cycling calendar and for many traditionalists,
is when the cycling season truly gets underway.
Now although there are other cobbled races,
the four most prestigious established classics are,
E3 Harelbeke, and the Gent-Wevelgem,
and two of the five of cycling's monuments
the Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix.
All held over a two week period from the end of March
to the beginning of April.
Now these races have had a long and rich heritage,
the battles of which are fought out on the twisting
rural roads and cobble climbs of Flanders in Belgium,
the true heartland of these magnificent races.
And the exposed flat farm tracks
and pave of northern France.
Let's have a closer look at the races which form a part
of this mini season within a season.
(upbeat music)
E3 Harelbeke, previously known
as Harelbeke Antwerp Harelbeke, and E3 Price Vlaanderen
is one of the newest of the Cobbled Classics.
The first edition taking place in 1958.
Now the race is traditionally held on the last weekend
in March, and heralds the start of Flemish Cycling Week
and it's considered the final big warmup race
for the Tour of Flanders, as the course takes place
on very similar roads, With around 17 cobbled climbs,
including the Paterberg and the Oude Kwaremont.
In fact, E3 is known as 'The Little Tour of Flanders.'
Looking at the results, you can see why.
Many winners of E3 have gone on the win De Ronde
and Paris-Roubaix, including Jan Raas, Johan Museeuw,
and Andrei Tchmil. Although it's Tom Boonen who holds
the record for victories, with an incredible tally of five.
to add to his four Roubaix's and three Flanders titles.
In 2012 it was given a World Tour status
and now sits two days before Gent-Wevelgem on the calendar.
Oh, and the name E3? Well that's a reference to
the former European route 'E zero three,'
a series of highways the race runs near to,
not some obscure sponsor.
Last year's winner was BMC's Greg Van Avermaet.
Nicknamed 'The Wind Classic' and 'The Echelon Race'
and it's worth checking out footage and photos
of the 2015 edition just to see how windy this race can be
Gent-Wevelgem has an identity that has remained pretty much
the same since its first edition in 1934.
Being a Cobbled Classic more suited to the sprinters,
although they don't always have it their own way.
With echelons and cobbled climbs to tackle
as well as monument level distance of 250 kilometres.
Now for many years the race fell between
the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix before settling
into a spot it now holds, a week before Flanders.
The first 100 kilometres or so are held on the flat,
exposed roads of Flanders' largest plain, where crosswinds
and rain often batter the peloton, and includes
a brief spell in northern France before hitting a series of
ten short climbs, including two ascents of the iconic
Kemmelberg cobbled climb, with its maximum gradients of 22%.
Once from each side.
The second of which is the last Hellingen of the day,
before the technical descent and the 35 kilometre flat run
to the line in Wevelgem.
Now since 2015 the race has been called
'Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields' after the war poem
by John McCrae, in commemoration
of the 100th anniversary of World War I.
As the race passes through the western region
that saw some of the fiercest battles.
Since 2012 a women's Gent-Wevelgem has been run
on the same day as the men's race.
Over a 142 kilometre course with a similar parkour,
with Lotto Lepisto running out last year's winner.
The first of the big two Cobbled Classics,
the other being Paris-Roubaix of course,
De Ronde is without doubt the most prestigious
single day race in Belgium, and to many the world.
The first edition running 1913 actually finished
on a wooden velodrome just outside Gent and covered
330 kilometres, taking 12 hours to complete.
Taking in as many Flemish towns and cities along the way
in an effort to liberate the Flemish people,
according to the organiser at the time, Carol Van Wijndoer.
The race itself is characterised by
numerous short, steep and punishing cobbled climbs,
known as Hellingen, many of which were added in the 1970s,
in an effort to keep the race's unique character,
after many of the original cobbled climbs
had been tarmacked over.
This led the race deeper into the Flemish Ardenne
and saw the emergence of iconic climbs,
such as the Muur of Geraardsbergen and the Koppenberg.
The longest climb in De Ronde is the Oude Kwaremont,
at 2200 metres and was first used in 1974.
With the steepest climb being the Koppenberg,
which rears up at 22% in places over it's 600 metre length,
and was tackled for the first time in 1976.
This years edition will have 18 climbs.
The final savagely steep and often decisive climb,
being the Paterberg, with it's 20% slopes,
coming only 13km to go to the finish in Oudenaarde.
It was first included in De Ronde in 1986,
after it's owner paved the entire climb,
in an attempt to get the race to pass by his house.
As you'd expect from one of the five monuments of cycling,
the list of previous winners is a who's who
of the legends of cycling.
The most victories by a single rider in a race is three,
an accolade shared by six riders.
Belgians, Achiel Buysse, Eric Leman,
Johan Museeuw and Tom Boonen.
Italian Fiorenzo Magni and Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara.
Unsurprisingly, Belgium tops the
list of wins by country, with 69.
There's been a women's Tour of Flanders,
held on the same day as the men's since 2004.
And in 2016 it became part of the Women's World Tour,
with last years winner being,
American Coryn Rivera of Team Sunweb.
(rock music)
Paris-Roubaix or the queen of the classics,
is the oldest of the cobbled classics.
First held in 1896 and won by German rider Josef Fischer.
It's one of five cycling monuments
and to many the most prestigious.
Now contrary to popular belief,
Paris-Roubaix didn't get its nickname Hell of the North,
due to the savage roughness of the cobbled terrain
or though that would clearly seem to be appropriate,
no, this was given following a recon after World War I,
to check on how much of the course had survived the war.
The devastated, battle torn countryside
was described as hell and the name stuck.
Leading 1919 winner to state,
'This wasn't a race, it was a pilgrimage.'
Paris-Roubaix is characterised by long,
flat stretches of cobblestones or pave,
in various states of disrepair.
Each sector been given a star rating
by the organisers ASO, to rank their severity.
With the most iconic sectors being the infamous
forest of Arenberg and the Carrefour de l'Arbre.
The cobbles here are best described as savage
and at worst, career threatenly dangerous.
This years addition contains 29 sectors of cobblestones,
including a new section at Saint-Hilaire,
over the course of 257km.
Roger De Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen share
the most individual wins with four,
whilst the fastest ever addition was last year in 2017,
where BMCs Greg Van Avermaet won his first ever monument
with the average speed of 45.2kph or 28.1mph.
Only 12 riders have ever won both Paris-Roubaix
and The Tour of Flanders in the same year.
And only two riders have achieved
that famous double on two occasions, the double-double.
They are living legends Fabian Cancellara and Tom Boonen.
Each have won Flanders three times,
but Boonen has the edge on Spartacus in Roubaix,
with four wins to three.
So, who do you think will make their mark
in the Cobbled Classics this year?
Leave your comments down below.
And for a look at which bike is fastest
over the cobbles, click here.
It might be a bit of a surprise.