Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders & Co: The most spectacular spring classics in 2026

Victories in these races are particularly coveted among professional cyclists: in the so-called spring classics, traditional one-day races of extreme length and special challenges in which the essence of cycling is condensed into a few hours of thrilling racing. It starts with Milan-San Remo on 21 March 2026, followed in April by the Sunday races Tour of Flanders (Belgium), Paris-Roubaix (France), Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands) and the oldest classic Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Belgium) at the end. For a few years now, these races have been highlights on the racing calendar not only for men but also for women

The individual races

The most important one-day races in spring with dates - details on routes and starters are linked - as far as currently available for the 2026 season.

Milan-San Remo

Date: Saturday, 21 March 2026

The true prelude to the classics season, the first of the five so-called monuments. In Italy, they call the race La Classicissima, the "super classic", or "La Primavera", the ride into spring from the often still foggy Po Valley to the Mediterranean. With a distance of almost 300 kilometres, it is the longest race of the season for men. The women's race was held again in 2025 after a long break.

All details about the race under this link

Tour of Flanders

Date: Sunday, 5 April 2026

The Belgians call Flanders' most beautiful the most important cycling race in their home country - the event is something of a pride of the Flemish and a spring festival on the roadside. The cobbled steep sections, the Hellingen, are the key sections of the race. The professional cyclists sweat, the fans drink.

Paris-Roubaix

Date: Sunday, 12 April 2026

The race is known as the ride through the "Hell of the North" - the route is largely flat, but still extremely painful due to the long pavé sections. For the first time, men and women start Paris-Roubaix on the same day and reach the finish in the Roubaix velodrome around one and a half hours apart.

Amstel Gold Race

Sunday, 19 April 2026: Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands)

The most important cycle race in the Netherlands celebrates its 60th birthday this year. This makes it a youngster and therefore not one of the five monuments. In sporting terms, however, it is on a par with the other spring classics.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Sunday, 26 April 2026: Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Belgium)

The topographically most difficult spring classic. The men have to climb more than 4,000 metres in altitude. "LBL" is also called "La Doyenne", the oldest. The first edition took place in 1892, four years before the premiere of Paris-Roubaix

The spring classics at a glance