One classic chases the next: These are the most important races in March
Sebastian Lindner
· 29.02.2024
The men's calendar includes 45 UCI races, ten of which are part of the World Tour. For women, the number of top races is even higher. Out of 21 competitions, six belong to the Women's World Tour. Both genders primarily compete in one-day races. The action in the highest competition categories shifts to Belgium and Italy.
Outside of these two countries, only three WT or WWT races will be held: the Ronde van Drenthe (1st WWT, 10 March) in the Netherlands, which is largely flat but ends on the VAM mountain like the 2023 European Championships, Paris-Nice (2nd UWT, 3-10 March) in France and the Tour of Catalunya (2nd UWT, 18-24 March) through Spain.
Roglic for Bora-Hansgrohe for the first time, Pogacar also joins in
The main focus will be on Paris-Nice, as this will be Primoz Roglic's first race for Bora-Hansgrohe. There will also be a duel with Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step) and thus a first clash between two rivals in the summer at the Tour de France. Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike), on the other hand, will be racing in the parallel event Tirreno-Adriatico (2nd UWT, 4-10 March), thus avoiding a duel with the really big competition.
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) is still missing from the list of Tour favourites. After winning Paris-Nice last year and Tirreno-Adriatico twice before that, the Slovenian has decided not to take part in the two long-distance races this time round. He is the only one of the top stars apart from Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) who has not yet raced. He will start the season at the Strade Bianche (1st UWT, 2nd March).
Milan in focus: first to Turin, then to San Remo
After the first phase of the World Tour at the beginning of March, we will move down a level to the Pro Series in the middle of the month. Races await there that may not have the highest UCI status, but still have their appeal. Milan-Turin, for example (13 March), first held in 1876 and therefore the oldest cycling race still in existence today. It is one for the sprinters, including Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan), who will continue his preparations for his 35th stage win in the Tour de France.
On the same day, cobblestones are on the programme in Belgium. Nokere Koerse, just like Bredene Koksijde Classic (15 March) a short time later, is one of the preparatory races for the week surrounding the Tour of Flanders, similar to the "little sister of Paris-Roubaix", the GP Denain (14 March).
In addition to the oldest race, the longest race of the season awaits the riders in March. And once again, Milan plays a role. Admittedly only as the namesake, as the almost 300-kilometre race will start south of the Italian metropolis. However, the finish line is still in San Remo. The "Primavera" on 16 March is the first monument of the season - and the season opener for van der Poel this year. Pogacar is also taking part again.
From Italy to Belgium for the Week of Truth in Flanders
While the men ride their Monument, one of their most traditional races awaits the women. The Trofeo Alfredo Binda (1st WWT) on 17 March has been a tradition since 1974. After the race, which is named after the Italian legend of the 1920s and 1930s and is held on hilly terrain in his homeland on Lake Maggiore, the women largely take over the men's programme.
And that means moving to Belgium - for the most important week of the year in Flanders. Bruges-De Panne on 20 March (1st UWT), for the women (1st WWT) one day later and the E3 Saxo Classic (1st UWT, 22 March, men only) serve as a warm-up for Gent-Wevelgem (1st UWT and 1st WWT, 24 March), Cross Flanders (1st UWT and 1st Pro, 27 March) and the absolute highlight: the Tour of Flanders (1st UWT and 1st WWT) on 31 March.
This time, the "Ronde van Vlaanderen" will have to do without last year's winner. This spring, Pogacar has opted for the alternative programme, the Tour of Catalonia (2nd UWT, 18-24 March). This means that the role of top favourites goes to van der Poel and Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike). As always, Vingegaard is staying out of the classics, and Roglic is also not taking part.
The most important road races in March at a glance
Men
- 2 March: Strade Bianche, 1st UWT
- 3-10 March: Paris-Nice, 2nd UWT
- 4-10 March: Tirreno-Adriatico, 2nd UWT
- 13 March: Milan-Turin, 1.Pro
- 13 March: Nokere Koerse, 1.Pro
- 14 March: GP de Denain, 1.Pro
- 15 March: Bredene Koksijde Classic, 1.Pro
- 16 March: Milan-San Remo, 1st UWT
- 18-24 March: Tour of Catalonia, 1st UWT
- 20 March: Bruges-De Panne, 1st UWT
- 22 March: E3 Saxo Classic, 1st UWT
- 24 March: Gent-Wevelgem, 1st UWT
- 27 March: Across Flanders, 1st UWT
- 31 March: Tour of Flanders, 1st UWT
Women
- 2 March: Strade Bianche, 1st WWT
- 10 March: Ronde van Drenthe, 1st WWT
- 13 March: Nokere Koerse, 1.Pro
- 17 March: Trofeo Alfredo Binda, 1st WWT
- 21 March: Bruges-De Panne, 1st WWT
- 24 March: Gent-Wevelgem, 1st WWT
- 27 March: Across Flanders, 1.Pro
- 31 March: Tour of Flanders, 1st WWT
