Top 10 most prestigious classics?

[The Hitch]

Italy is cyclingcrazy too? .

No its not. This was discussed in the Giro thread. Its not even in the top 7 or 8 sports.

In France the tour is big. The rest of the season not so much. Few French that ive met people have even heard of Paris Roubaix.

 

[Panda Claws]

Wow, I really didn't know that

I always though was the 2nd most cycling-crazy country. I am lucky to live in Belgium indeed.

 

[Echoes]

Paris-Roubaix is as big as Flanders in Belgium.

And is big in the département du Nord, which means Flanders, which means Belgium (the armies of Louis XIV took it from us in unspeakable atrocities).

Milan Sanremo is big in Belgium too. Might be bigger in Belgium than it is in Italy. And as big as the other classics. I watched my first Milan-Sanremo at age 8 (1992), before I watched my first Flanders. I've allways been allowed to watch every classic, whether they're Belgian or not, BRTN or RTBF, whatever.

Also De Vlaeminck argued that the Italians have a long memory because when he once was invited in Sanremo, people recognized him.


Popularity is not just a matter of media attention. What about the people visiting the race?

 

[Fus087]

Paris - Roubaix
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Milano - San Remo
Liège - Bastogne - Liège
Giro di Lombardia
Paris - Tours
Flèche Wallonne
Gent - Wevelgem
Omloop Het Volk
E3 Prijs
Strade Bianche

Only taking into account races that are still run.

 

[horizon27]

I agree with your list.

So do I its also my favorite list in descending order

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Wow, I really didn't know that

I always though was the 2nd most cycling-crazy country. I am lucky to live in Belgium indeed.

There's only one pro cycling crazy country in Europe. The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Denmark probably rank a distant 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

There's only one pro cycling crazy country in Europe. The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Denmark probably rank a distant 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

If we include "countries" as well as countries, there's also the Basque Country. It's still far from the top sport, but the sport is very big there. ETB actually replaced filler programming with repeats of the day's cycling when Antón won Valdepeñas de Jaén and Pal in the 2010 Vuelta, when Samu won Luz-Ardiden in the Tour and especially when Antón won in Bilbao in the Vuelta (they showed that over and over). Between show programming included pictures of them crossing the line with stylised graphics saying "MILESKER SAMUEL" and "MILESKER IGOR"...