Your favourite Monument?

[slowoldman]

Flanders and Roubaix for the drama - the back of the race is just as (if not more) interesting as the front. Looking forward to seeing both at the roadside this year.

Lombardy for the scenery and the autumn light and the melancholy at it being the end of the season.

Milan San Remo is just nice because it's when a lot of folks first properly show their teeth (no pun on Cav, honest). And the emotion is the opposite of the one I described above at Lombardy: spring's definitely here!

I concur almost word for word. For some reason the Ardennes classics don't seem to move me as much. I know that borders on sacrilege to some but it is honestly how I feel.

 

[pmcg76]

I am with a lot of people, its between De Ronde and Paris-Roubaix. So hard to choose, can I give 2 votes. I like L-B-L but probably prefer Lombardy for the scenery. Milan-SanRemo lags far behind the rest for me, I would prefer other Belgian semi-classics over Milan-San Remo.

 

[TRDean]

A great quote..."Only those who are in top condition can say the Ronde is not hard. For everyone else it is the Way of the Cross" A. Tafi

Says it all.

 

[Bike Boy]

Easy, it's Liege.

Well maybe not that easy. De Ronde and Roubaix is probably the toughest one day races on the calender (Don't get me wrong I also find it hard to choose because the cobbled classics are just so freaking awesome).
But for me it all started with Liege, that's my first real memory outside of the tour de france, I will never forget the impact it had on me (and still has).
And then there's the whole transition going, the cobble specialist moves out and in comes the all rounders (and climbers), which is some of the most gifted talents on this planet.

My complete list:

1. Liege - Bastogne - Liege
2. Ronde van Vlaanderen
3. Paris - Roubaix
4. Milano - San Remo
5. Giro di Lombardia

The only reason I placed flanderen above roubaix, is because Rolf Sørensen has won it. Actually it's a bit of a shame that the queen of the classics only comes third, but it's just so unfair to rank them like this.

 

[tgsgirl]

Vlaanderen. I'm Belgian, I can't nor won't say anything else. April fourth will be a day of religion in this country this year, and not because someone died some 2000 years ago and now we all eat chocolate eggs to celebrate; but because it's the day of RVV.
And then Roubaix as a close second.

 

[luckyboy]

Milan-SanRemo lags far behind the rest for me, I would prefer other Belgian semi-classics over Milan-San Remo.

Agree with this.

1. L-B-L & Roubaix
3. Ronde
4. Lombardia
5. M-SR

 

[Willy_Voet]

I like MSR as the first "proper" single day race of the season. You can watch the last hour and not miss anything, unlike the other more selective classics, so it's not super exciting. But knowing that usually 20-40 people are in with a chance makes the last 10K that much more exciting.

Hope Cancellara or another opportunist surprises...

All that said, my favorite is Flanders; the right mix of cobbles, climbs, wind, rain, pig**** blowing sideways, etc. Counting down the climbs, seeing the breakaway getting swallowed up, then spit out the back, watching riders come almost to a standstill over the last few climbs, it's all good.

 

[Michele]

De Ronde, nothing else.

 

[craig1985]

This is like trying to choose between you're mom an dad but I have to go with Ronde

Edit: who put wigans there

Irrelevant 6th option FTW

 

[lagartija]

i guess im in the minority but Lombardia for me, its a beautiful race, in a beautiful part of the world........and when i was young i dreamed of riding it (and maybe winning as well....haha)

 

[Race Radio]

Flanders.

Cobbles, 17% climbs, drunk Belgie's, cigarettes, and pork products.

 

[knewcleardaze]

Paris-Roubaix for me. Everyone likes to win it, no one wants to ride it.
Strictly for the hard men.
I often think of P-R when I get caught in the rain. Suck it up and keep pedaling.
Be thankful you haven't ten miles of cobbles and mud ahead.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I am with a lot of people, its between De Ronde and Paris-Roubaix. So hard to choose, can I give 2 votes. I like L-B-L but probably prefer Lombardy for the scenery. Milan-SanRemo lags far behind the rest for me, I would prefer other Belgian semi-classics over Milan-San Remo.

+1

amstel, f-w, omloop, E3 prijs, san sabastian etc all trump MSR for me.

 

[craig1985]

I find it hard to warm to races such as San Remo and Lombardia, and I suppose LBL to an extent because of the lack of coverage we get. If I lived in those places, I think I would. But in Australia we only get Roubaix shown live in all it's glory, so I think we get to appreciate it a lot more.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I find it hard to warm to races such as San Remo and Lombardia, and I suppose LBL to an extent because of the lack of coverage we get. If I lived in those places, I think I would. But in Australia we only get Roubaix shown live in all it's glory, so I think we get to appreciate it a lot more.

It's also annoying that they don't show liege or flanders which are great races.Why are SBS showing TOC instead of il Giro. They better be doing 1/2 hour highlights or I will be furious!

 

[craig1985]

It's also annoying that they don't show liege or flanders which are great races.Why are SBS showing TOC instead of il Giro. They better be doing 1/2 hour highlights or I will be furious!

I think it comes down to $$$$$. I guess it is cheaper for SBS to buy TOC coverage and listen to the commentators give fellatio to Retirement Shack (I think I will go and throw up now) then it is to watch some real racing in a real country.

I guess ASO charge too much for the other Classics, but since O'Grady won they are prepared to hand over the money.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think it comes down to $$$$$. I guess it is cheaper for SBS to buy TOC coverage and listen to the commentators give fellatio to Retirement Shack (I think I will go and throw up now) then it is to watch some real racing in a real country.

I guess ASO charge too much for the other Classics, but since O'Grady won they are prepared to hand over the money.

Supposedly the RCS charge a fair bit more than ASO for the tv rrights. Still love my giro so gotta put it on over the ToC. I think the lance factor dominates the cadel factor in a race.

 

[il_fiammingo]

I find it hard to warm to races such as San Remo and Lombardia, and I suppose LBL to an extent because of the lack of coverage we get. If I lived in those places, I think I would. But in Australia we only get Roubaix shown live in all it's glory, so I think we get to appreciate it a lot more.

LBL cannot compare to Flanders at all. The difference in popularity, press, spectators, excitement, crazyness is huge. Ofcourse living near the Muur in Geraardsbergen, i'm quite biased. LBL always depresses me: dark green colors, a closed scenery due to the woods and a dead race until the st-Nicolas at 10km from the finish. I think the lack of Belgian favourites doesn't help us being excited about the race either. I bet LBL is much more popular in Italy. It's hard to admit but I kinda become more excited about the Amstel than LBL.

 

[Zen Master]

.Why are SBS showing TOC instead of il Giro. They better be doing 1/2 hour highlights or I will be furious!

Wh..wh... WHAAAAAAT !?! You MUST Be Kidding Me !!?
Lousy & Boring TOC instead of this year's Giro with Cadel, Basso, Sastre, Pellizotti, Terminillo, Mortirolo, Monte Zoncolan, Gavia and last but not least Plan de Corones TT

 

[craig1985]

LBL cannot compare to Flanders at all. The difference in popularity, press, spectators, excitement, crazyness is huge. Ofcourse living near the Muur in Geraardsbergen, i'm quite biased. LBL always depresses me: dark green colors, a closed scenery due to the woods and a dead race until the st-Nicolas at 10km from the finish. I think the lack of Belgian favourites doesn't help us being excited about the race either. I bet LBL is much more popular in Italy. It's hard to admit but I kinda become more excited about the Amstel than LBL.

Not Gilbert? Mind you he is not from Flanders. Even though he is a Walloon (I have a basic understanding of the politics), is he very popular in Flanders, like a certain ex world champion/coke head?

 

[L'arriviste]

Not Gilbert? Mind you he is not from Flanders. Even though he is a Walloon (I have a basic understanding of the politics), is he very popular in Flanders, like a certain ex world champion/coke head?

It rather depends on the individual's point of view and as you probably know, agreement here in Belgium tends to be arrived at by consensus rather than unanimity. An admirable quality, but one which also demonstrates the range of different voices that clamour to be heard.

Uncommonly for a francophone Belgian, Philippe speaks good Flemish, which probably does a lot for his image (I was pleasantly surprised to watch Tyler Farrar break out in solid Flemish at an Omloop interview but then he lives in Gent). And he rides for a team with a lot of history, of course.

Perhaps, you can look at it a bit like the English look at the World Cup. If England get knocked out, they'll probably still root for Scotland or Ireland.

Cycling is a celebration of Flemish identity, so obviously a Flemish champion will always take the cake, but a Gilbert, a Monfort, or whoever, should always find ample room in a TV commentary even if not deep in the recesses of fickle Flemish hearts.

Look out for the next time you see those golden lion flags they wave in the riders' faces. If the claws and tongue are red, that's celebrating Flanders within Belgium. If the claws and tongue are black, the holder's sympathies are probably rather more nationalist.

 

[El Imbatido]

It's also annoying that they don't show liege or flanders which are great races.Why are SBS showing TOC instead of il Giro. They better be doing 1/2 hour highlights or I will be furious!

Aus, you still have a couple of options:

1. If time and computer bandwidth allow watch live streams.

2. Watch the crummy 1/2 hour highlights of the Giro if you are lucky. If we don't get them it will probably a 1 hour highlight of the whole Giro on at some obscure time sometime mid june.

3. Buy Foxtel and watch/record every stage live on Eurosport international<---------------Good option, no dumb and dumber commentating, just you and good ol' Dave Harmon and Sean Kelly. So much better than P&P.

4. Or get a big internet plan and torrent the whole giro. [cough]**cyclingtorrents.nl**[cough] - You are looking at between 25-30gig.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Notice also that il_fiammingo's location is a very Flemish-sounding part of Belgium on the route of de Ronde. Cycling isn't the same in Wallonia as in Flanders, but that's not to say that you don't get some pretty excited followers at the Wallonian races, just that it isn't like a national holiday like in Flanders.

 

[il_fiammingo]

Not Gilbert? Mind you he is not from Flanders. Even though he is a Walloon (I have a basic understanding of the politics), is he very popular in Flanders, like a certain ex world champion/coke head?

The people who had enough of boonen's arrogance, his moving to Monaco, his coke problems and his interest in 16 year olds are happy to have Gilbert. Especially after Lombardy, they put him next or above Boonen.

The fact that he speaks Flemish certainly is a factor in his growing popularity. But i think he really started to build his Flemish fan base after his 2nd victory of the Omloop. The way he did that (a 40km solo escape), and in fact his general racing style, reminds some people of the old "Flandriens" (Schotte, Van Steenbergen, Van Looy, Godefroot, Merckx): attacking, never giving up, never calculating the efforts, ...
And surely every "foreign" rider who wins a flemish (semi-) classic earns a lot of respect when he beats our boys on their soil.

Nevertheless in Belgium, cycling is Flanders, it always has been. The number of Walloon champions is far lower than our champions. Although Wallonie is far more suited to develop quality riders with climbing skills, they hardly succeed. But our cobbles which are not a joy to ride, attract a lot of young riders. And IMO way too much.

 

[Echoes]

I don't like the label Monument.

I'm from the French-speaking part of Belgium but always been more interested in cobbles.

But now Flanders bores me the same as Liège. I guess they put too many asphalt climbs on it. Van Petegem criticizes that, I think.


The only road race I still find interesting is Paris-Roubaix.