Iconic moment in time: Sean Kelly takes in his first classic win, the Tour of Lombardy in 1983 from a young American world champion named Greg Lemond and Dutch legend Adri Van der Poel (Photo: Sirotti)
There’s five of them and they’re the most sought after wins in cycling outside the Grand Tours and the World Road Race Championships. They are what the sport calls the “monuments”.
Milan-San Remo got them underway for 2014 last week, with the other four monuments still to come this season including the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardia.
All over 250km, they are the longest races on the cycling calendar, and all have a rich history. If you have a look at the video below you can introduce yourself to this romantic chapter in the history of cycling that these events represent.
Advertisement
Sean Kelly won all of the monuments more than once bar the Tour of Flanders.
Milan Sanremo kicked off the 2014 classics last weekend and Kelly won that twice, in 1986 and 1992. He won Paris Roubaix in 1984 and 1986 and claimedLiège–Bastogne–Liège in 1984 and 1989.
Giro di Lombardia was his first classics win, claiming that in 1983 and then in 1985 and 1991 also.
Dan Martin is the only other Irishman to win a monument, taking Liège–Bastogne–Liège last year and being tipped for further wins in the years ahead.
Related News
Dan Martin enjoys his win in Liège–Bastogne–Liège last year to carve his name into the history of big time pro cycling
Topics
