Monuments as a stage race

In one of the MSR threads a few days ago there was some speculation as to how a Grand Tour of Monuments might play out: all ridden in close proximity, with rest & travel time between them as necessary. It soon got overrun with more specific MSR conversation, but I thought it might be interesting to give it space to be a conversation.

With the right riders competing, and making this something of a priority, what do you think would happen? If you were running it, what order would you have the races in, and how ? Which race would be the most important for selection of teammates? How might the tactics play out (let's assume the main riders are all up for it)?

According to PCS, 264 riders have finished all five, including 16 who are still active. Taking their best gap to the winner in each, and allowing bonifications of 10-6-4 seconds, the GC between those 16 would look like this:
Mathieu van der Poel
00:00​
Gianni Moscon
00:55​
Matej Mohoric
05:29​
Tiesj Benoot
13:23​
Bob Jungels
15:45​
Matteo Jorgenson
16:07​
Toms Skujins
19:28​
Rui Costa
20:25​
Michal Kwiatkowski
20:46​
Simon Clarke
21:30​
Ion Izagirre
25:30​
Chris Juul-Jensen
28:12​
Max Schachmann
29:22​
Jan Tratnik
30:52​
Michael Gogl
31:31​
Magnus Sheffield
47:13​

Fuller detail
MSRRvVRoubaixLBLLombardiaBonnifications
Mathieu van der Poel
00:00​
00:00​
00:00​
00:14​
06:28​
00:30​
00:00​
Gianni Moscon
00:05​
00:53​
00:00​
05:35​
00:38​
00:04​
00:55​
Matej Mohoric
00:00​
01:07​
01:47​
00:00​
08:57​
00:10​
05:29​
Tiesj Benoot
00:02​
00:08​
16:32​
00:07​
02:46​
13:23​
Bob Jungels
01:14​
00:17​
14:34​
00:00​
06:02​
00:10​
15:45​
Matteo Jorgenson
00:02​
01:19​
16:25​
01:31​
03:02​
16:07​
Toms Skujins
00:35​
07:19​
11:06​
01:18​
05:22​
19:28​
Rui Costa
00:35​
13:53​
12:12​
00:00​
00:01​
00:04​
20:25​
Michal Kwiatkowski
00:00​
01:57​
15:34​
00:00​
09:41​
00:14​
20:46​
Simon Clarke
00:00​
12:37​
12:24​
01:44​
00:57​
21:30​
Ion Izagirre
00:00​
17:51​
13:05​
00:03​
00:43​
25:30​
Chris Juul-Jensen
00:05​
08:46​
07:06​
03:06​
15:21​
28:12​
Max Schachmann
00:00​
10:30​
20:28​
00:09​
04:31​
00:04​
29:22​
Jan Tratnik
00:05​
00:48​
23:26​
03:53​
08:52​
30:52​
Michael Gogl
01:45​
02:49​
22:11​
00:28​
10:30​
31:31​
Magnus Sheffield
00:32​
06:09​
17:03​
06:50​
22:51​
47:13​

It'll never happen, so you'll never be proven wrong, so speculate away.
 
Mar 4, 2011
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Great thing about the classics (including monuments) is that they’re not GTs! ;)

ed. Meant to say they’re not stage races. Each have their place in the cycling universe.
 
Last edited:
Feb 20, 2012
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This ranking is actually very different from a hypothetical stage race considering it would involve 0 actual stage race tactics and no recovery issues involved.

That said, Pogacar finishing within 6'46 in Roubaix is an absolute given. That's like 50th place.
 
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May 6, 2021
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A final stage Liege where top GC riders need time and are actually forced to attack early would be excellent, it is a monument that from the profile always looks like it should be good but never is.
 
Mar 31, 2015
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I think Nibali in a pre-Pogacar era would have done well. Obviously has his wins at MSR and Lombardy, plus a podium at Liege and a respectable top 20 in Flanders, and the infamous 2014 Tour stage.
 
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Apr 27, 2022
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In one of the MSR threads a few days ago there was some speculation as to how a Grand Tour of Monuments might play out: all ridden in close proximity, with rest & travel time between them as necessary. It soon got overrun with more specific MSR conversation, but I thought it might be interesting to give it space to be a conversation.

I think the idea started in the Coffee and small Danish thread and it got overrun by a discussion about Jägermeister and myopia.