The spring Classics are cycling’s greatest spectacle. Up to seven hours of high-octane racing, up and over short, punchy climbs, across bone-jarring cobbles and loose gravel, from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in early March to Liège-Bastogne-Liège in late April.
Winning just one Classic can make a rider’s career. But there are a select few who win, win some more, and keep on winning, becoming their generation’s giant of the Classics. But what makes a Classics legend? What are the key ingredients needed to become a serial winner? How big a part is played by local knowledge? Is it nature, nurture, racecraft, or more to do with the strength of the team?
