Understanding The Classics
WORDS: REBECCA BLAND
IMAGES: HONOR ELLIOTT
At a first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that classics races are all the same: Belgian roads, cobbles, harsh conditions on tiring terrain. However, like anything in cycling, there is a lot of nuance that differentiates these attritional one-day races.
This deeper variety is demonstrated nicely by our early-season results so far, with plenty of different riders in the mix for results. We secured our first top 10 in Le Samyn with Majo van’t Geloof, with a strong showing at ‘opening weekend’ with Jesse Vandenbulcke and Maike van der Duin both securing top 20 placings. These were followed up by Tata Martins’ own top 10 in GP Oetingen a few days ago.
Despite only running until the end of April, the spring classics represent the main focus of some riders’ seasons. Strong one-day racers flourish here, as can fast finishers and occasionally those who love an ascent. There are other classics at the tail-end of the season, but nothing comes close to matching the intensive two-month period of racing between March and April.
Each race has its own charm, its own parcours and its own history. Paris-Roubaix, a cobbled classic, nicknamed 'Hell of the North' has the Trouée d'Arenberg, for instance, while Omloop Het Nieuwsblad has the Valkenburg climb.
COBBLES FOR BREAKFAST
In late February the season begins with the opening weekend of cobbled classics, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Omloop van het Hageland, with no let-up until the iconic Paris-Roubaix Femmes in the middle of April. Cobbles are a big part of the classics, with some like the Ronde van Vlaanderen featuring cobbled hills – known as ‘helingen’ in Flemish – as well as long flat sections of these rocky, jagged stones that shake the bones of riders attempting to hold the wheel in front.
Although not as hilly as some of the later classics, the extra stress of cobbles can fatigue a rider quickly – particularly if they have to expend a lot of energy staying upright in muddy conditions, as we saw in the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes last year.
Strong riders like Jesse Vandenbulcke seek success at these attritional races, and as a native Belgian, she uses her knowledge of the local cobbles to her advantage.
“The way you need to hold your bike to flow over the cobbles, I love it. If you´re feeling good in the race they go so smooth and you can really hurt the other riders. But if you are not feeling good it can be so hard.
“I like to go Flanders when I´m on a long training ride and do some cobbled sections or climbs. Or if I go to visit my family who live close to Wevelgem, I like to go to the Kemmelberg to get familiar with the cobbled climbs and where it hurts the most.”
FASTER, FASTER!
There are also chances for the sprinters to shine in the spring, Gent-Wevelgem being one race that lends itself well to the faster finishers. With one of the least demanding parcours of this cluster of races, if the sprinters can hold on to the peloton on both ascents of the Kemmelberg then they usually contest the finish. It’s typically a fast finale, but not usually a full field sprint. Riders with a powerful kick like Maike van der Duin and Majo van 't Geloof can take their chances here.
Majo explained a little bit about what it takes to excel in the sprinter’s classics.
“It helps in this kind of race to have a lot of knowledge of the course and know where to go and what to do. With Gent-Wevelgem this year because of the route changes, it is going to be a different race than normal.
“It is still a sprinter’s race but there are a lot of climbs in the end which is totally going to rip the race apart. The wind will also play a big role. It’s always tricky trying to stay in the first group and surviving the climbs but this is key to still being there in the end to contest the sprint.”
INTO THE FOREST…
Once the pavé and the faster roads have had their turn, it’s time for the Ardennes classics in April. Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallone and Liège-Bastogne-Liège all take place in quick succession and attract winners with strong climbing legs and puncheurs, due to the hilly terrain.
These climber’s classics are designed to wear the riders down with constant ascents, which alone may not be that challenging, but after climbing the Cauberg, for example, four times, only the riders who can hack the inclines will be left near the front of the race.
Experienced climber Eider Merino will be one of our leaders in this year’s Ardennes races.
“The Ardennes is always very special, the way people there experience cycling is different from the rest of the world. The fact the races run on the same day as the men's race makes the ditches beside the road full and those shouts make you feel like you're being pushed. Although it is a bit sad to rely on men's cycling to attract more spectators, we will continue to prove that our cycling is worth seeing and in a few years any women's race will have the same amount of public.”
There’s no substitute for the iconic names of the Ardennes, says Eider.
“Any cycling lover dreams of climbing the Cauberg, the Mur de Huy, the Redoute... among many others. Personally, the Cauberg is special to me because it was the first one I met, when I was still a youth in the World Championships. And the Mur, it doesn't matter how many times they tell you it's very hard, until you go and check it out for yourself. It's one of the hardest climbs I've ever seen.”
With so many races concentrated in this relatively small area of Europe – essentially Belgium, the Netherlands and a sliver of northern France – it would be easy to think that they might feel repetitive. We would argue that each year and each race offers something slightly different, more intriguing than the last. With big names retiring, it opens up these races to even more riders, whoever is brave enough to take on the cobbles and win. Whoever wants to be a part of classics history, pushing through the lactic acid on the Muur and powering through to the finish. Each race has its place and each rider has their chance in these arduous, but wonderful one-days.