| Cycling monument | |
|---|---|
 First appeared inCe soir newspaper byAlbert Baker d'Isy | |
| Information | |
| Published: | 17 April 1949 |
| Origin: | France |
| Newspaper: | Ce soir |
| Author: | Albert Baker d'Isy |
| Race: | Paris–Roubaix |
| Article: | "monument" du cyclisme |
TheMonuments are fiveclassic cycle races generally considered to be the oldest, hardest, longest and most prestigious one-day events in men'sroad cycling, with distances between 240 and 300 km.[1][2][3]
Each has a long history and specific individual characteristics. They are currently the one-day races in which most points can be earned in theUCI World Tour and the only 3rd categorized UCI races, only behindGrand Tour races;Tour de France (1st category) andGiro andVuelta (both 2nd category). As of 2025[update], four of the five monuments hold women's races as part of theUCI Women's World Tour, with onlyGiro di Lombardia not having a women's race.
Eddy Merckx is by far the most successful monument rider with 19 wins in total. He is also one of two cyclists in history to win three monuments in one season, a feat he achieved in 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1975.Tadej Pogačar is the other rider to do this in 2025.
The five monuments are:
Milan–San Remo – also calledLa Primavera (the spring classic) orLa Classicissima (the classic of classics), it is the first major classic of the season.[4] First held in 1907, it is by far the longest one-day race on the UCI calendar at nearly 300 km (190 mi). Due to its flat profile, it is considered asprinter's classic, but the famous finishing climbs ofthe Cipressa andthe Poggio give other types of cyclists a chance to win.[4][5] It is often described as "the easiest Monument to finish, but the hardest to win".[5][6]
Tour of Flanders – theRonde van Vlaanderen in Dutch, or simplyDe Ronde ("the Tour"),[7] is raced every first Sunday of April.[8] First held in 1913[7] the race typically covers more than 270 km (170 mi) in theFlemish Ardennes and is known for its short, steep hills and cobbled sections.[8][9] The course shifts from year to year, with the start switching betweenAntwerp andBruges in recent years.[8] A key point is theOude Kwaremont, the longest climb of the race at 2.2 km (1.4 mi) long with a max gradient of 11%.[9]
Paris–Roubaix – also called "the Queen of the Classics" or "the Hell of the North", it is raced one week after the Tour of Flanders and is the finalcobbled classic. First organized in 1896, the race started inParis up to 1967, before switching to the current start inCompiègne.[10] The race is known for its long sections ofpavé (cobblestone roads), with 30 cobbled sectors totaling over 50 km (31 mi), including the difficultTrouée d'Arenberg before finishing in theRoubaix Velodrome. It is considered the toughest monument,[11] as well as "arguably the most recognizable" one-day race on the cycling calendar.[10][12]Liège–Bastogne–Liège – known asLa Doyenne ("the old lady"[13] or "the oldest"[14]), it is the finalArdennes classic, usually held in late April as the last of the spring one-day races. First organized in 1892, it is the oldest monument.[notes 1][15] The 250 km (160 mi) course is considered a "war of attrition" due to its difficult hilly terrain, favouringclimbers or evenGrand Tour specialists.[15][16]Giro di Lombardia – also called theclassica delle foglie morte ("race of the falling leaves"), it is the final monument of the season, held in late September or October.[11] First held in 1905, it was initially organized asMilano–Milano. The course switches between starting and finishing inComo andBergamo, and is known for its hilly terrain aroundLake Como. Similar to Liège–Bastogne–Liège, it is considered a climber's classic, ascending difficult hills such asMadonna del Ghisallo.[17]The expression "cycling monument" has been used since the early days of cycle racing. In 1904,Henri Desgrange wrote inL'Auto that "The "Tour de France" is over and its second edition will, I fear, have also been the last. […] And yet, it seemed to us and it still seems to us that we had built with this great event the most lasting and most imposing monument to the sport of cycling".[18]
In 1949, French sports journalistAlbert Baker d'Isy wrote about the 47th edition of theParis–Roubaix race, titling his article in the French newspaperCe soir "Paris–Roubaix: "monument" du cyclisme". The term was used again by journalistJacques Goddet in 1950, writing about Fausto Coppi's victory atParis–Roubaix – "Monument of international cycling, Paris-Roubaix crushed the riders with its legend as well as its diabolical difficulties".[19]
The term began being used more by theUnion Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and cycling media at the end of the 20th century,[20][21] with the term designating the five most prestigiousclassic cycle races, namelyMilan–San Remo,Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix,Liège–Bastogne–Liège andGiro di Lombardia.[20][21]
Since 2010, the races are considered by theUnion Cycliste Internationale to be more prestigious than other one-day races that are raced by the professional peloton, with only theGrand Tour stage races gaining more ranking points for the winner.[19]
In 2017,L'Équipe wrote that the five monuments were "the oldest one-day races, the most famous, the most unique" and that they had "prestigious entry fields" of champion riders.[19]
Media and riders have discussed whether other classic cycling races meet the criteria of a cycling monument. By the 2020s,Strade Bianche – an Italian one-day race first held in 2007, defined by its use of white gravel roads – was considered to be the most likely candidate,[22][23][24] withCycling News stating in 2025 that "there is no longer any debate that Strade Bianche is cycling's sixth Monument".[25] However, others have criticised that Strade Bianche does not have the length or longevity to be titled a monument,[26] and riderPhilippe Gilbert noted thatClásica de San Sebastián andAmstel Gold Race were more important historically.[27][20]
In the women's tour, media have suggested thatTrofeo Alfredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio (the oldest one-day race on the women's calendar) andStrade Bianche Donne may be worthy of the "monument" moniker.[22][24][28]
Only three riders have won all five monument races during their careers:Rik Van Looy,Eddy Merckx andRoger De Vlaeminck, all threeBelgians, and onlyEddy Merckx won each of them more than once.
Six riders won four different monuments. With multiple victories in all the other monuments,Sean Kelly almost joined the top group, finishing second in the Tour of Flanders on three occasions (1984, 1986 and 1987). Kelly is the only other rider, after Merckx, to win four different monuments on multiple occasions.
Tadej Pogačar is the first rider to achieve a podium finish in all 5 monuments in the same season in 2025: MSR(3rd), TOF(1st), PR(2nd), LBL(1st), GDL(1st). This streak also means he has the most consecutive monument podiums with 7 in a row, when 2024: LBL(1st) and GDL(1st) are included.
Tadej Pogačar is also the first rider ever to win the same monument 5 years in a row with his winning streak at Giro di Lombardia going from 2021 to 2025, eclipsing the previous record held byFausto Coppi since 1949 in the same race.
2025 was also the first time ever 2 riders won all 5 monuments in a single season between them withTadej Pogačar winning Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Tour of Flanders and Giro di Lombardi, whilstMathieu van der Poel won Milan-San-Remo and Paris-Roubiax.
Dutch riderHennie Kuiper won each monument except Liège–Bastogne–Liège, in which he finished second in 1980. FrenchmanLouison Bobet also won all but Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Belgian riderFred De Bruyne came close as well, finishing second in the Giro di Lombardia in 1955 and winning the other four races during his career.Germain Derycke also won four, all except the Giro di Lombardia.Philippe Gilbert is the most recent rider to win four different monuments, all except Milan–San Remo, in which he finished third twice.[29]
Eddy Merckx also holds the record of most victories in a single Monument, winning Milan-San Remo seven times.[30]
| Rank | Cyclist | Nationality | First win | Latest win | M–S | ToF | P–R | L–B–L | GdL | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eddy Merckx | Belgium | 1966 | 1976 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 19 |
| 2 | Roger De Vlaeminck | Belgium | 1970 | 1979 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| 3 | Tadej Pogačar |  Slovenia | 2021 | 2025 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | ||
| 4 | Costante Girardengo | Italy | 1918 | 1928 | 6 | 3 | 9 | |||
| Fausto Coppi | Italy | 1946 | 1954 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 9 | |||
| Sean Kelly |  Ireland | 1983 | 1992 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | ||
| 7 | Rik Van Looy | Belgium | 1958 | 1965 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Mathieu van der Poel |  Netherlands | 2020 | 2025 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | |||
| 9 | Gino Bartali | Italy | 1936 | 1950 | 4 | 3 | 7 | |||
| Tom Boonen | Belgium | 2005 | 2012 | 3 | 4 | 7 | ||||
| Fabian Cancellara |  Switzerland | 2006 | 2014 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | |||
| 12 | Henri Pélissier | France | 1911 | 1921 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
| Alfredo Binda | Italy | 1925 | 1931 | 2 | 4 | 6 | ||||
| Fred De Bruyne | Belgium | 1956 | 1959 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | ||
| Francesco Moser | Italy | 1975 | 1984 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Moreno Argentin | Italy | 1985 | 1991 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | |||
| Johan Museeuw | Belgium | 1993 | 2002 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||||
| 18 | Gaetano Belloni | Italy | 1915 | 1928 | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||
| Rik Van Steenbergen | Belgium | 1944 | 1954 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||
| Bernard Hinault | France | 1977 | 1984 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||
| Michele Bartoli | Italy | 1996 | 2003 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||
| Paolo Bettini | Italy | 2000 | 2006 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||
| Philippe Gilbert | Belgium | 2009 | 2019 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | ||
| 24 | Gaston Rebry | Belgium | 1931 | 1935 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Alfons Schepers | Belgium | 1929 | 1935 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| Louison Bobet | France | 1951 | 1956 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Germain Derycke | Belgium | 1953 | 1958 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Felice Gimondi | Italy | 1966 | 1974 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |||
| Walter Godefroot | Belgium | 1967 | 1978 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||
| Hennie Kuiper | Netherlands | 1981 | 1985 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Jan Raas | Netherlands | 1977 | 1983 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||
| Erik Zabel |  Germany | 1997 | 2001 | 4 | 4 | |||||
| Alejandro Valverde |  Spain | 2006 | 2017 | 4 | 4 | |||||
| 34 | Léon Houa | Belgium | 1892 | 1894 | 3 | 3 | ||||
| Octave Lapize | France | 1909 | 1911 | 3 | 3 | |||||
| René Vermandel | Belgium | 1921 | 1924 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Giovanni Brunero | Italy | 1922 | 1924 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Romain Gijssels | Belgium | 1931 | 1932 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Achiel Buysse | Belgium | 1940 | 1943 | 3 | 3 | |||||
| Fiorenzo Magni | Italy | 1949 | 1951 | 3 | 3 | |||||
| Jo de Roo | Netherlands | 1962 | 1965 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Emile Daems | Belgium | 1960 | 1963 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Tom Simpson |  United Kingdom | 1961 | 1965 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Eric Leman | Belgium | 1970 | 1973 | 3 | 3 | |||||
| Andrei Tchmil |  Moldova Belgium | 1994 | 2000 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Andrea Tafi | Italy | 1996 | 2002 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Peter Van Petegem | Belgium | 1999 | 2003 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Oscar Freire | Spain | 2004 | 2010 | 3 | 3 | |||||
| Damiano Cunego | Italy | 2004 | 2008 | 3 | 3 | |||||
| Vincenzo Nibali | Italy | 2015 | 2018 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Riders in blue are still active. Riders in green have won all five monuments. Number of wins in gold indicates the current record holder(s).
| Rank | Nationality | M–S | ToF | P–R | L–B–L | GdL | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 23 | 69 | 57 | 61 | 12 | 222 |
| 2 | Italy | 51 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 69 | 157 |
| 3 | France | 14 | 3 | 28 | 5 | 12 | 62 |
| 4 | Netherlands | 5 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 35 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 21 |
| 6 | Germany | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| 7 | Slovenia | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| 8 | Ireland | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 11 |
| Spain | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 11 | |
| 10 |  Australia | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
 Denmark | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |
 Luxembourg | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | |
| 13 | United Kingdom | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 14 |  Kazakhstan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 15 |  Norway | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
 Russia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
 Slovakia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 18 |  Colombia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Lithuania | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Moldova | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Poland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Sweden | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 United States | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Eddy Merckx andTadej Pogačar have won three monuments in a single year:
26 different riders (including Merckx and Pogačar) have managed to win two Monuments in the same year. The most common "double" consists of the two cobbled classics (Tour of Flanders andParis–Roubaix), which have been won by the same rider in the same year on 13 occasions. The Italian "double" (Milan–San Remo andGiro di Lombardia) has been achieved 11 times. All 10 possible doubles have been achieved by multiple riders with the exception of theMilan-San Remo and Tour of Flanders double, which has only been achieved by Merckx. Below the list of all doubles with years in bold indicating that they were part of a triple of monument wins (see the section above).
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Unlike the men's events, the women's editions do not have a higher points status above other one-day races. Media have therefore discussed other races that may be worthy of the "monument" title, includingTrofeo Alfredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio (the oldest one-day race on the women's calendar) andStrade Bianche Donne.[28][31][32]
As of 2025[update], four of the five monuments hold women's races as part of theUCI Women's World Tour. Since 2017, at least two monuments have had women's races in each calendar year. As of 2025[update],Giro di Lombardia is the only monument without an equivalent race for women.[33]
Milan–San Remo Women – a women's version of Milan–San Remo, namedPrimavera Rosa, was first held in 1999, but cancelled after 2005. Since 2025, the race takes place as Milano–San Remo Donne, on the same day and over a shorter course as the men's race.[34]Tour of Flanders – a women's edition of the Tour of Flanders has been held continuously since 2004. The first of thecobbled classics takes place on the same day as the men's event over a shorter route.Paris–Roubaix Femmes – First held in October 2021, after the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race takes place the day before the men's event over a shorter route.Liège–Bastogne–Liège Femmes – First held in 2017. The last of theArdennes classics is held on the same day and over a shorter course as the men's race.[35]In 2021, British riderLizzie Deignan became the first women's rider to win more than two of these events, having won2016 Tour of Flanders for Women,2020 Liège–Bastogne–Liège Femmes and2021 Paris–Roubaix Femmes.[36] Two riders have won two of them in one year –Zulfiya Zabirova in 2004 andAnna van der Breggen in 2018.[37][38]
From 2026, the UCI will award more ranking points to the four races compared to other one-day races in the UCI Women's World Tour – thereby officially designating them as monuments.[39][40]
| Year | Milan–San Remo Women | Tour of Flanders | Paris–Roubaix Femmes | Liège–Bastogne–Liège | Giro di Lombardia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Sara Felloni (ITA) | Not contested | Not contested | Not contested | Not contested |
| 2000 | Diana Žiliūtė (LTU) | ||||
| 2001 | Susanne Ljungskog (SWE) | ||||
| 2002 | Mirjam Melchers-van Poppel (NED)(1/3) | ||||
| 2003 | Zoulfia Zabirova (RUS)(1/3) | ||||
| 2004 | Zoulfia Zabirova (RUS)(2/3) | Zoulfia Zabirova (RUS)(3/3) | |||
| 2005 | Trixi Worrack (GER) | Mirjam Melchers-van Poppel (NED)(2/3) | |||
| 2006 | Not contested | Mirjam Melchers-van Poppel (NED)(3/3) | |||
| 2007 | Nicole Cooke (GBR) | ||||
| 2008 | Judith Arndt (GER)(1/2) | ||||
| 2009 | Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (GER) | ||||
| 2010 | Grace Verbeke (BEL) | ||||
| 2011 | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)(1/4) | ||||
| 2012 | Judith Arndt (GER)(2/2) | ||||
| 2013 | Marianne Vos (NED) | ||||
| 2014 | Ellen van Dijk (NED) | ||||
| 2015 | Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA)(1/3) | ||||
| 2016 | Lizzie Armitstead (GBR)(1/3) | ||||
| 2017 |  Coryn Rivera (USA) | Anna van der Breggen (NED)(1/3) | |||
| 2018 | Anna van der Breggen (NED)(2/3) | Anna van der Breggen (NED)(3/3) | |||
| 2019 | Marta Bastianelli (ITA) | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)(2/4) | |||
| 2020 | Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (NED) | Lizzie Deignan (GBR)(2/3) | |||
| 2021 | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)(3/4) | Lizzie Deignan (GBR)(3/3) | Demi Vollering (NED)(1/2) | ||
| 2022 | Lotte Kopecky (BEL)(1/4) | Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA)(2/3) | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)(4/4) | ||
| 2023 | Lotte Kopecky (BEL)(2/4) |  Alison Jackson (CAN) | Demi Vollering (NED)(2/2) | ||
| 2024 | Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA)(3/3) | Lotte Kopecky (BEL)(3/4) | Grace Brown (AUS) | ||
| 2025 | Lorena Wiebes (NED) | Lotte Kopecky (BEL)(4/4) | Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA) |  Kimberley Le Court (MUS) | |
| Year | Milan–San Remo | Tour of Flanders | Paris–Roubaix | Liège–Bastogne–Liège | Giro di Lombardia |
| Rank | Cyclist | Nationality | M–S | ToF | P–R | L–B–L | GdL | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annemiek van Vleuten | Netherlands | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Lotte Kopecky | Belgium | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2 | Zoulfia Zabirova | Russia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Mirjam Melchers-van Poppel | Netherlands | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| Anna van der Breggen | Netherlands | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| Lizzie Deignan | United Kingdom | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| Elisa Longo Borghini | Italy | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 8 | Judith Arndt | Germany | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Demi Vollering | Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Rank | Nationality | M–S | ToF | P–R | L–B–L | GdL | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 2 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 16 |
| 2 | Belgium | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Italy | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| 4 | Germany | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| United Kingdom | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | |
| 6 | Russia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Canada | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| France | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Lithuania | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Mauritius | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Sweden | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| United States | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
the concept of a Monument was only brought to fruition in the mid-1990s by then UCI President Hein Verbruggen and certain race organisers as a marketing tool to better promote certain races.
In just 19 years, Strade Bianche has become one of most loved races in the sport, with the women's race as important as the men's race. There is no longer any debate that Strade Bianche is cycling's sixth Monument.
2.10.017 Points scale Women Elite
