Spring Classics 2026: Canyon’s complete guide

The 2026 Spring Classics are fast approaching, with the men’s and women’s pelotons ready to test themselves in some of the most difficult and exciting terrain that Northern Europe has to offer. Our exclusive guide to the Spring Classics in 2026 is your first port of call, with all the relevant race information you’ll need, including how to follow the races, which Canyon riders to watch, and much more.

Held in Northern Europe, the Spring Classics are a set of high-profile one-day bike races that are among the most iconic and celebrated events in the cycling calendar. These races are steeped in history, have shaped the legends of professional cycling, and have provided some of the sport's most memorable moments. The most famous Spring Classics on the calendar are the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Both races are on the women’s and men’s WorldTour calendar and are must-watch events for every cycling fan on the planet.

The 2026 Spring Classics kick off on the last weekend of February with the Belgian double header of Omloop Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Billed together as ‘Opening Weekend’, these curtain raisers provide an early hit-out for the Spring Classics specialists who have specifically trained over the winter to peak for the weeks and months ahead. March and April are dominated by a series of major one-day races and run right through until the Ardennes Classics, which take place in the second half of April.

The Spring Classics are battlegrounds for the very best one-day riders in the world, and with Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen, the Alpecin-Premier Tech team has two of the top athletes and proven Spring Classics contenders.

Van der Poel heads into the Classics looking to defend his titles in Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix after winning both races in 2025. The Dutch rider, fresh from his record-setting 8th cyclo-cross world title where he won on a custom-painted Canyon Inflite CFR, will be one of the main riders to watch throughout the entire spring campaign, from Milan-San Remo right through to a possible tilt at the Ardennes at the end of April.

Teammate Jasper Philipsen, is a former winner of both Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix, and will no doubt be in the hunt for more success this spring as he looks to add to his ever-growing palmares. He will aim to defend his title at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Opening Weekend. Don’t rule out the pair’s other teammates, Kaden Groves, who was fifth in Milan-San Remo in 2025, while Tibor Del Grosso might also play a hand in the Ardennes a little later in the spring. He’s one of the most promising riders in the peloton in 2026.

Over at Movistar Team, new signing Cian Uijtdebroeks is set to feature in the Ardennes, and former U23 world time trial champion Iván Romeo has also started the season strongly with a stage win and the overall at Vuelta a Andalucia.

In the Women’s WorldTour, the scene looks more competitive than ever! Chloé Dygert and 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift winner, Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney, will lead the line for CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto, during the spring, while Movistar Team will be one of the strongest teams in the peloton with Marlen Reusser, Cat Ferguson and Liane Lippert all set to play significant roles.

Fenix-Premier Tech also races on Canyon road bikes and will head into the 2026 Spring Classics with Puck Pieterse, Charlotte Kool - the defending champion at Omloop Niewsblad - and new signing Lotte Claes in its ranks.

The term ‘spring classic’ can be broad and is open to interpretation, with different criteria applied to both the exact start of the classics campaign and what merits a race to be labelled as part of the collection. Here we have drawn together the most important races along with the Monuments that take place during the spring.

Along with the 2026 race dates, you’ll find important information on where and how to stream the races live, where to watch along the route, and which cycling stars to follow before the action kicks off with the 2026 Spring Classics.

• Date: 28th February 2026
• Location: Belgium
• Distance: 208km (men’s race), 138km (women’s race)
• How to follow: HBO Max, Discovery+, Flo Bikes (North America)
• Canyon riders to watch: Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin - Premier Tech) 

Omloop Nieuwsblad, formerly known as Omloop Het Volk, contains a number of the Flemish climbs that are typically associated with the Tour of Flanders, but unlike the mammoth challenge of Flanders, the Omloop course settles around a more manageable 208km of racing. This race is typically viewed as the curtain raiser for the Spring Classics and by some as the unofficial start to the European season.

The final climbs in 2026 include the Muur van Geraardsbergen and Bosberg, while the finish in Ninove is likely to produce an entertaining finale. As with most spring classics, the race organisers offer packages and ticket prices, including starting options in the iconic city of Gent. If you time it right, and pick the perfect place on the course, you can view both the men’s and women’s races as they take place on the same day but on slightly different parcours.

• Date: 1st March 2026
• Location: Belgium 
• Distance: 195km 
• How to watch: HBO Max, Discovery+, Flo Bikes (North America)
• Canyon riders to watch: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin - Premier Tech)

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne takes place the day after Omloop Nieuwsblad, and teams often replenish their rosters with Kuurne’s race profile, usually lending itself to a reduced bunch sprint due to the lack of climbs in the second half of the race. Despite being a relatively sprint-friendly race, late attacks are quite common, so teams aiming to set up a fast finish will need to have the numbers and remain attentive in the closing stages.

Both Omloop Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne offer an early indication of form ahead of the rest of the spring classics but with so much racing between ‘Opening Weekend’ and the biggest one-day races, there’s time for riders to improve their condition before the most important spring classics come into view.

The early-morning start in Kuurne offers a real cultural insight into Belgian one-day racing. The beer is flowing, the passionate fans are out, and the riders always put on a show.

• Date: 7th March 2026
• Location: Italy
• Distance: 201km (men’s race), 131km (women’s race)
• How to follow live: HBO Max, Discovery+, Flo Bikes (North America), SBS (Australia).
• Canyon riders to watch: Liane Lippert (Movistar Team), Puck Pieterse (Fenix Premier Tech), Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin - Premier Tech)

After the early forays in Belgium, the spring classics head to Italy for a relatively new classic, Strade Bianche. The event, which features both women’s and men’s races, held its inaugural edition in 2007, and despite its lack of heritage, it has quickly established itself as a key event in the sport. Some are even calling for the race to be given Monument status, despite its relatively short distance of around 200km.

The picture postcard setting and the dirt roads of the Tuscan landscape that litter the Strade Bianche route, provide one of the most iconic backdrops within the sport, while the roll call of previous winners includes Mathieu van der Poel and former rider Annemiek van Vleuten. Strade Bianche may be the new kid on the classics block, but it has already established itself as a must-watch event for all cycling fans, with many calling for it to be given Monument status! The women’s race is around 70km shorter than the men’s race, but just as competitive and compelling.

You have to experience riding the Tuscan dirt roads if you can, but when it comes to attending the race, there’s no place better than the Piazza del Campo in Siena, which is fast becoming one of the most iconic finishes in cycling. In 2026, it will be packed to the rafters with cycling fans from Italy and around the world.

• Date: 21st March 2026
• Location: Italy
• Distance: TBC
• How to follow live: HBO Max, Discovery+, Flo Bikes (North America), SBS (Australia).
• Canyon riders to watch: Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel (both Alpecin - Premier Tech), Chloé Dygert (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto).

Also known as La Classicissima, and adored by cycling fans all over the world, Milan-San Remo is the first Monument of the season. Held in late March, the race tops out at nearly 300 kilometres and has provided cycling fans with some of the most emphatic and exciting moments since the race’s inception in 1907.

The race traces along the Ligurian Coast before reaching a series of ascents, including the often race-defining climbs of the Cipressa and Poggio. These two climbs are not particularly steep or long, with the Cipressa being 5.6 km and Poggio 3.7 km, but since both obstacles occur within the final 20 km, they have often served as the launchpad for famous attacks and daring descents. The race remains so finely balanced between climbers, sprinters, and one-day specialists that the finish is often too close to call. While Milan-San Remo is typically a slow-burning race, its thrilling finales will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Last year saw the return of the women’s Milan-San Remo. Once again, in 2026, the women's race takes place on the same day as the men's race and follows the Ligurian coastline before tackling the Poggio and Cipressa. Adding this race to the calendar is a huge moment for women’s cycling. 

It has to be the historic Via Roma, where the race finishes.

• Date: 27th March 2026
• Location: Belgium
• Distance: TBC
• How to follow live: HBO Max, Discovery+, Flo Bikes (North America).
• Canyon riders to watch: Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin - Premier Tech), Iván García Cortina (Movistar Team).

After forays into Italy with Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo, the WorldTour circus returns to Belgium for the start of an intense period of cobbled racing. First on the menu is E3 Saxo Classic, a mini-version of the Tour of Flanders, which is packed with cobbled climbs and technical sections. In 2025, Mathieu van der Poel took a stunning victory, putting in over a minute to his nearest rivals with an audacious long-range attack.

The race starts in the quaint town of Harelbeke, which is only a few minutes drive from the slightly more vibrant Kortrijk. It’s worth staying in Kortrijk the night before the race, like many of the teams do, and then heading to Harelbeke, for both the start and the finish of the race.

• When: 29th March 2026
• Location: Belgium
• Distance: TBC
• How to follow live: HBO Max, Discovery+, Flo Bikes (North America), SBS (Australia).
• Canyon riders to watch: Chiara Consonni (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech), and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin - Premier Tech)

Formerly known as Gent-Wevelgem until last year, the race dates back to the 1930s, and enjoys legendary status, but isn’t quite in the conversation as a cycling Monument. That said, it’s a prestigious race to win for any rider and races through the heartlands of Belgian cycling.

A semi-classic more suited to the sprinters due to the relatively flat parcours in the final stages of the race, the route takes multiple ascents of the Kemmelberg climb before a likely reduced bunch sprint into Wevelgem.

The women’s race, which was added to the calendar in 2012, follows a very similar race route.

The race now starts in Middelkerke, but the Kemmelberg is the obvious midpoint from which to watch the action, with the race organisers providing tickets and packages to fans.

• When: 5th April 2026
• Location: Belgium
• Distance: TBC
• How to follow live: HBO Max, Discovery+, Flo Bikes (North America), SBS (Australia).
• Canyon riders to watch: Liane Lippert (Movistar Team), Puck Pieterse (Fenix Premier Tech), Chiara Consonni (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin - Premier Tech).

A week after Gent-Wevelgem, the cycling world turns its attention towards the Tour of Flanders (Ronde van Vlaanderen) and Belgium’s most important and illustrious one-day race on the sporting calendar. The men’s race dates back to 1913 and is the second Monument of the season, while the women’s event was established in 2004.

The Tour of Flanders routes for both races have been modified over the years with starts and finishes both being switched out on several occasions. The early editions of the men’s race began and finished in Ghent but over time the route has evolved and the latest incarnation of the men’s events sees the peloton roll out in Antwerp and finish in the town of Oudenaarde.

The 2026 season will see the men’s race take place for the 107th time, with the climbs of the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg once more taking centre stage. The Kwaremont will be tackled three times in total, while the punchier Paterberg will be climbed twice. With around 13 km between the final ascent of the Paterberg and the finish, the last two climbs should act as the launchpad for the winning move. However, there are so many climbs within the race, and so many decisive factors, that the outcome of the Tour of Flanders - in both the men’s and women’s races - could be decided at any point. 

It is, without doubt, the most tactically difficult race to win, with brains just as important as brawn over the 270-plus kilometres of racing.

From the start in the centre of Antwerp to the iconic climbs, and the finish in Oudenaarde, the Tour of Flanders has no shortage of places to check off on your list. Luckily, the race organisers provide tickets for several key vantage points, including the key climbs, while the start in the centre of Bruges is one of the best cycling atmospheres you’ll ever experience, with thousands of fans and a full-stage presentation of the riders.

• When: 12th April 2026
• Location: France
• Distance: TBC
• Live TV coverage: HBO Max, Discovery+, SBS On Demand (TBC), Flo Bikes (North America)
• Canyon riders to watch: Chloé Dygert (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), Puck Pieterse (Fenix Premier Tech), Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen (both Alpecin - Premier Tech)

The final spring classic and Monument of the cobbled campaign in 2026 comes in the form of Paris-Roubaix, arguably the most famous one-day race in the cycling world. Dating back to 1896, the race is held in northern France and has earned the nickname of ‘The Hell of the North’ due to its arduous nature and the back-breaking sectors of pavè that litter the race route.

Created by textile manufacturers hailing from Roubaix, the race is steeped in history and has provided some of the most legendary moments in cycling’s past, from the first finish on the famous Roubaix velodrome in the 1940s, Dirk Demol’s all-day break in 1988, Mapei’s 1-2-3 domination from 1996, to Tom Boonen equalling Roger De Vlaeminck’s record of four wins back in 2012 to become one of the race’s most prolific winners.

What elevates Paris-Roubaix to Monument and effectively legendary status, however, are the cobbles. The Trouée d'Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle, and Carrefour de l'Arbre are some of the most feared and celebrated sectors of pavè in cycling and have provided some of the most electrifying racing of all time. Whether it’s a wet or dry Paris-Roubaix, every edition of the race provides blockbuster entertainment, and this year’s Paris-Roubaix route will not disappoint.

In 2021, a women’s version of the race was finally added to the race calendar by organisers ASO. Though the race has only had a short-lived history it already has all the hallmarks of becoming one of the most respected and treasured events in the calendar.

The start in Compiègne is always special, and the teams’ presentations at the same place in the lead-up to the racing are always worthwhile too. The route speaks for itself, and it’s entirely possible to try and see the race at several points, including the Carrefour de l’Arbre, and the Arenberg Forest if you plan ahead. Just remember that, unlike most of the races on this list, the women’s and men’s Paris-Roubaix races take place on different days. Of course, the velodrome finish can’t be ignored, with tickets available in advance.

After the conclusion of the cobbled classics in Belgium and France, the cycling caravan heads to the Ardennes for the culmination of the Spring Classics. The Ardennes are effectively made up of three races: 

• Amstel Gold Race in the Netherlands  
• La Flèche Wallonne in Belgium  
• Liège-Bastogne-Liège in Belgium  

All three events have men’s and women’s races, respectively, with Amstel - the youngest of the trio - kicking off proceedings a week after Paris-Roubaix. The Dutch race is synonymous with the Cauberg climb but has 30 short bergs throughout the men’s route. The finish has been modified several times over the last couple of decades but the Cauberg remains the final ascent before the finish and often sparks the decisive attacks. In 2019 Mathieu van der Poel took his first classics win at Amstel Gold Race when he helped reel in a last-minute three-man break before the line before winning a breathtaking sprint to the line.

While Amstel Gold Race is associated with Cauberg, there is no doubting the importance of the Mur de Huy climb with La Fleche Wallonne. The ‘Walloon Arrow’, as it’s known in English, finishes atop the brutally tough climb with pitches of 26 per cent, almost always determining the outcome of both the men’s and women’s races. Race organisers ASO have modified the finish several times over the last few years in a bid to provide riders with new terrain on which to attack and stretch the race, but only once in the last few decades has the race not seen the winning move form on the final climb.

The final spring classic and the only Ardennes race to hold Monument status is Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Also known as the La Doyenne or ‘The Old Lady’, the race dates all the way back to 1892, with the women’s race added to the calendar as recently as 2017. It’s the oldest Monument on the calendar, and like the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, is considered one of the hardest one-day races in the world. Just like the Tour of Flanders, the race is punctuated with a series of short but brutally tough climbs, and while the route has been modified at several points over the years, the most iconic ascents of the Côte de La Redoute, Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons and Côte de Saint-Nicolas has remained intact and tantamount to the race.

Eddy Merckx holds the record for the most Liège wins with five in total, while Italian legend Moreno Argentin and Alejandro Valverde - who raced the majority of his career on a Canyon - are both tied on four victories apiece.

Amstel Gold Race: The best locations are the start in Maastricht, the Cauberg, and the finish in Valkenburg.

La Fleche Wallonne: The best place to watch is from the finish on the Mur de Huy. The riders crest the summit more than once.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège: La Redoute and Saint Nicolas provide great vantage points and often major action in the race.

Below you’ll find a complete and comprehensive list of all the major Spring Classics that will be held in 2026.

Our list includes the dates for both the men’s and women’s races, from Opening Weekend at the start of March, right through to the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the Ardennes Classics that take place in April.

The Spring Classics are some of the most prestigious and exciting races in all of cycling. They hold a special place in our hearts here at Canyon and don’t forget that you can follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram for alerts on important stories and action from the spring classics. Join the Canyon community to get the latest Spring Classics news delivered straight to your inbox.