VeloPress

Clattering through agrarian hamlets on roughly paved routes carved from the hills more than a century ago, the spring classics test cycling’s toughest riders with the worst conditions imaginable—sucking mud, choking dust, leg-numbing sleet, and Europe’s narrowest, most bone-grinding roads. These one-day races evoke spectacular superhuman efforts as riders devote body and soul to earn a place in cycling’s most glorious and meaningful history. The Spring Classics delves deeply into the rich stories of these great events with insightful text from L’Équipe’s top writers and hundreds of rare and newly restored photographs. With an encyclopedic embrace, The Spring Classics also celebrates the essential one-day races that round out the cycling year.