Top 10 most prestigious classics?

Panda Claws

Panda Claws

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If you had to make a top-10 of the classics you consider the most prestigious what would that be?

Note: Worlds and Olympics aren't classics for the purpose of this thread.


Mine

1. LBL
2. PR
3. MSR
4. RVV
5. GDL
6. PT
7. FW
8. GW
9. AGR
10. CSS
 
P-R
M-SR
RVV
L-B-L
GdL
G-W (just look at the winners' list)
AGR
Strade Bianche
FW
E3 (again, great winners' list)
 
1. Paris-Roubaix
2. Liège-Bastogne-Liège
3. Ronde van Vlaanderen
4. Milano-Sanremo
5. Giro di Lombardia
6. Flèche Wallone
7. Amsteld Gold Race
8. Paris-Tours
9. Gent-Wevelgem
10. Classica San Sebastian

Tough call for second, I find LBL, RVV and MSR about equally prestigious. Flanders got the best atmosphere and is usually the best of the three to watch, LBL and MSR have a better field than Flanders, but MSR is by far (usually😀) the most boring of them. Therefore I give a slight edge to LBL.
Amstel and Flèche or about equal to, still going for Flèche Wallone as it has got more pedigree although Gold Race is 60K longer.
 
Bordeaux-Paris
Paris-Roubaix
Liège-Bastogne-Liège/Ronde van Vlaanderen
Giro di Lombardia
Milan-San Remo
Paris-Tours
Flèche Wallonne
Amstel Gold Race
Gent-Wevelgem
 
El Pistolero said:
Bordeaux-Paris
Paris-Roubaix
Liège-Bastogne-Liège/Ronde van Vlaanderen
Giro di Lombardia
Milan-San Remo
Paris-Tours
Flèche Wallonne
Amstel Gold Race
Gent-Wevelgem
Click to expand...

If you add Bordeaux-Paris you might as well add Züri-Metzgete instead of Gent-Wevelgem.😛
 
Paris-Roubaix
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Liege-Bastogne-Liege
Milano-Sanremo
Giro Di Lombardia
Amstel Gold Race
Giro Dell'Emilia
Fleche Wallone
E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke
Strade Bianche
 
What's this? An off-season poll!

1. PR
2. L-B-L
3. RVV
4. M-SR
5. GDL (love it, but the race needs to attract more top riders)
6. AGR
7. E3
8. CSS
9. Strade Bianchi
10. G-W
 
PR
LBL
RVV
MSR
GDL
AGR
CSS
FW
SB
PT

I think that Paris-Tours seems to be going down in prestige the last few years. Fewer teams seem to send their best riders and since it's not even WT anymore some top teams don't even race it. On the other hand Strade Bianche seems to attract a lot of the top classics names eventhough the race itself is fairly new as a pro race.
 
Kwibus said:
What's this? An off-season poll!

1. PR
2. L-B-L
3. RVV
4. M-SR
5. GDL (love it, but the race needs to attract more top riders)
6. AGR
7. E3
8. CSS
9. Strade Bianchi
10. G-W
Click to expand...

Last year was pretty bad, but the years before was fine really. Gilbert, Scarponi, Nibali, Samuel Sanchez, Vinokourov, Kolobnev, Cunego, Joaquim Rodriguez, etc

Only guy missing is Valverde, but that will never change. Although I do think Lombardia will grow in prestige thanks to its new date. It will also get a new nickname: L'estate 😀
 
1. Ronde van Vlaanderen
2. Paris-Roubaix
3. Liege-Bastogne-Liege (no, spellcheck, not Liege-Edgbaston-Liege)
4. Giro di Lombardia
5. Milano-Sanremo
6. Amstel Gold Race
7. La Flèche Wallonne
8. E3 Harelbeke
9. Gent-Wevelgem
10. Strade Bianche

Ronde over PR because a greater range of riders can win, both ahead of LBL because so many of those who would potentially be best there are peaking for other goals. MSR last of the monuments because it's the least likely to reward a really strong rider. AGR over FW because it's the most important race of the Dutch calender, while FW is one of many important Belgian races. E3 beats GW because although the latter is more traditionally prestigious, they attract a similar field nowadays, and E3 is more selective. Bianche last because it's so new.

Paris-Tours left out because it's lost prestige and is a bit sprinty, and San Sebastian gets an honourable mention, but since one-day racing just isn't that important in Spain, I don't think it makes the cut.
 
ingsve said:
PR
LBL
RVV
MSR
GDL
AGR
CSS
FW
SB
PT

I think that Paris-Tours seems to be going down in prestige the last few years. Fewer teams seem to send their best riders and since it's not even WT anymore some top teams don't even race it. On the other hand Strade Bianche seems to attract a lot of the top classics names eventhough the race itself is fairly new as a pro race.
Click to expand...

14 out of 18 WT teams were invited, that's pretty impressive for a non-WT event 😕

All the big guns were there: Freire, Cavendish, Gilbert, GVA, Ballan, Petacchi, Mcewen, Bennati, etc
 
1.Paris-Roubaix
2.Liège-Bastogne-Liège
3.Ronde Van Vlaanderen
4.Giro di Lombardia
5.Milan San Remo
6.Flèche Wallonne
7.Clasica San Sebastian
8.Amstel Gold Race
9.Strade Bianche
10.Gent Wevelgem
 
El Pistolero said:
Last year was pretty bad, but the years before was fine really. Gilbert, Scarponi, Nibali, Samuel Sanchez, Vinokourov, Kolobnev, Cunego, Joaquim Rodriguez, etc
Click to expand...

2011 was pretty much the same, only without Vino and Kolobnev who didnt do much there. Basso instead of scarponi.
 
Last time I saw a popular vote on the subject it looked something like this:

PR
LBL and RVV about the same
MSR
GdL
 
The Hitch said:
2011 was pretty much the same, only without Vino and Kolobnev who didnt do much there. Basso instead of scarponi.
Click to expand...

Scarponi > Basso in the classics. Before his ban Scarponi was a guy for the hilly classics and short stage races. Although he mysteriously sucked hard with Liberty Seguros and got banned in 2007.

A lot of guys were there, but their form wasn't as good as in previous years due to circumstances. Samuel Sanchez for example was over-raced in China.

Kolobnev was third in 2009 by the way. I also forgot to add Cadel Evans who was really good there in 2009.


1 Philippe Gilbert België Silence-Lotto 5u 43' 46"
2 Samuel Sánchez Spanje Euskaltel-Euskadi z.t.
3 Aleksandr Kolobnev Rusland Team Saxo Bank +4"
4 Luca Paolini Italië Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo z.t.
5 Johnny Hoogerland Nederland Vacansoleil z.t.
6 Robert Gesink Nederland Rabobank z.t.
7 Aleksandr Vinokoerov Kazachstan Astana z.t.
8 Daniel Martin Ierland Team Garmin-Slipstream z.t.
9 Juan José Cobo Spanje Fuji-Servetto z.t.
10 Cadel Evans Australië Silence-Lotto z.t.


That's a pretty good top 10 if you ask me.
 
Camulos said:
1. Paris-Roubaix
2. Liège-Bastogne-Liège
3. Ronde van Vlaanderen
4. Milano-Sanremo
5. Giro di Lombardia
6. Flèche Wallone
7. Amsteld Gold Race
8. Paris-Tours
9. Gent-Wevelgem
10. Classica San Sebastian

Tough call for second, I find LBL, RVV and MSR about equally prestigious. Flanders got the best atmosphere and is usually the best of the three to watch, LBL and MSR have a better field than Flanders, but MSR is by far (usually😀) the most boring of them. Therefore I give a slight edge to LBL.
Amstel and Flèche or about equal to, still going for Flèche Wallone as it has got more pedigree although Gold Race is 60K longer.
Click to expand...

I agree with your list.
 
Paris-Roubaix
Ronde van Vlaanderen (old course, move it below LBL and Lombardia on the new one)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Giro di Lombardia
Milano-Sanremo
La Flèche Wallonne
Amstel Gold Race
E3-Prijs Harelbeke
Gent-Wevelgem
Paris-Tours
 
1. Liege Bastogne Liege
2. Paris Roubaix
3. Ronde van Vlaanderen
4. Milano Sanremo
5. Giro di Lombardia
6. Amstel Gold Race
7. Paris Tours
8. Fleche Wallone
9. Classica San Sebastian
10. Gent Wevelgem
 
1 Paris-Roubaix: International field every year since 1896, except for some war years. Queen of the Classics (so say the rider themselves), unique course since 1966 as hard in one day as a GT in 20 days (so say some riders).

2 Milan-Sanremo: International field in the early years, national field in the interbellum years, and international field in the post war period with the help of CDC. Very stable course. The longest in modern days. Had to cope with asphalted roads in the 50's and only needed 2 climbs to adapt (up until what you know😛)

3 Tour of Lombardy: Historically speaking I rate it above Liège, which is what this thread is all about here (prestige) but I rate it below for the modern days. Same evolution as the one above, concerning field quality but very unstable course throughout the years, which is why I rate it below.

4 Liège-Bastogne-Liège: The oldest but that's eye-wash. There were barely 3 editions in the 19th century, only 1 professional. Then Liège resumed in 1908 but was only a pro race in 1919 or something and only Belgians competing, not even the best of them. Only in 1951 could we see big stars because it joined the CDC and it wasn't more prestigious than the Arrow before the 70's.

5 Bordeaux-Paris: The oldest, it disappeared but in the more recent years, the race prestige still interested some top guns.

6 Tour of Flanders: As I said, not a major classic at least before the Koppenberg was added. Often favoured second-tier riders despite top guns doing all they could to spread the field. Leman is a good example of this.

7 Paris-Tours: Yes very flat but was a major classic until WWII. And between 1974 and 1987, decent course but reversed (Tours-Versailles, etc.), so top riders could win it at the expense of stability.

8 Walloon Arrow: Got its prestige strictly with the help of the CDC but was more prestigious than the sister race for a few decades.

9 Ghent-Wevelgem: got its prestige in the 50's when Bartali and Kübler raced it. Then joined the Superprestige.

10 Paris-Brest-Paris: the decennial marathon race, still existing (as a cyclotourist race).

Yes Championship of Zurich was also a great one but I hated the last course, in circuits. 😡

Edit: Damn, I missed Paris-Brussels, how could I? But well, I don't know where to insert it. It deserves a mention though.
 
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