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After discovering the various cycling competitions, it's time to look at the road cycling race calendar so you don't miss any important competitions. Here's the ultimate guide to everything you need to know about the 33 races on the schedule in the UCI World Tour category.
UAE Tour (United Arab Emirates)
The UAE Tour is the first World Tour race on the cycling calendar and is held in the United Arab Emirates. The stage race was established in 2019 and is the result of a merger between the Tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) won the points classification there in 2020.
Het Nieuwsblad Circuit (Belgium)
The Circuit Het Nieuwsblad is a one-day cycling race that takes place in the Flemish Ardennes. It includes cobbled sectors and uses the former Tour of Flanders finale.
Philippe Gilbert (Lotto-Soudal) has won this event twice (2006, 2008).
Strade Bianche (Italy)
The Strade Bianche race is a one-day race created in 2007 and joined the World Tour calendar in 2017. It is famous for its white gravel roads.
Philippe Gilbert added this race to his list of achievements in 2011.
Paris - Nice (France)
Paris-Nice, also known as the Race to the Sun, is the first World Tour race of the season in France and even in Europe. Like the Tour de France, it is organized by ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation).
Nairo Quintana won the seventh stage of the 2020 edition for his new Arkéa-Samsic team, while Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) is a three-time winner of the mountain classification (2015, 2018, 2019).
Tirreno - Adriatico (Italy)
Tirreno-Adriatico is nicknamed the race of the two seas and takes place at the same time as Paris-Nice in Italy. It is considered ideal preparation for Milan-San Remo.
Nairo Quintana won this race in 2017.
Milan - San Remo (Italy)
Milan - San Remo, nicknamed the Primavera, is the first classic race of the season and is considered the longest race on the professional calendar. It is one of the five Monuments of Cycling.
John Degenkolb (Lotto-Soudal) won this race in 2015.
OxyClean Classic Bruges - La Panne (Belgium)
The Classic Brugge - La Panne is a one-day cycling race held in Belgium. Until 2017, it was a stage race. It joined the World Tour calendar in 2019.
Elia Viviani won the event in 2018. Philippe Gilbert also won it in 2017, in its old format.
E3 Saxo Bank Classic (Belgium)
The E3 Saxo Bank Classic, also known as the E3 Grand Prix, is a one-day cycling race held in Belgium and is part of the Flanders Classics. Created in 1958, it joined the World Tour calendar in 2012.
Tour of Catalonia (Spain)
The Tour of Catalonia is the fourth-oldest cycling stage race. It takes place in a very mountainous region and, as a result, is popular with climbers.
Nairo Quintana won the event in 2016. Domenico Pozzovivo (Qhubeka Assos) placed third in 2015.
Ghent - Wevelgem (Belgium)
Gand - Wevelgem is a one-day cycling race and is part of the Flanders classics. Consisting of cobbled sections, it borrows part of the route of the Tour of Flanders.
John Degenkolb won this race in 2014.
A Travers la Flandre (Belgium)
A Travers la Flandre is a one-day cycling race that joined the World Tour calendar in 2017 and generally marks the start of the Flemish Week, which includes: the E3 Grand Prix, Ghent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders. In fact, it borrows several cobbled sectors from the Tour of Flanders.
Tour of Flanders (Belgium)
The Tour of Flanders (also nicknamed De Ronde) is a one-day cycling race created in 1919 that is one of the two major paved classics of the spring along with Paris-Roubaix. It is one of the five Monuments of Cycling.
Philippe Gilbert added this classic to his list of achievements in 2017.
Tour of the Basque Country (Spain)
The Tour of the Basque Country is a stage race that takes place in the steep terrain of the Basque Country. It is known for its steep climbs.
Nairo Quintana won this race in 2013. Sergio Henao has won the points classification there twice (2013 and 2016).
Paris - Roubaix (France)
Paris - Roubaix is one of the oldest bicycle races in the World. Nicknamed the Hell of the North, the French race features numerous cobbled sectors, including the Trouée d'Arenberg and the Carrefour de l'Arbre. This Flandrian classic is one of the five Monuments of Cycling.
Philippe Gilbert put his name on the list of winners in 2019, while John Degenkolb won it in 2015.
Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands)
The Amstel Gold Race, which is the first of the Ardennes classics of the season, is a one-day cycling race created in 1966 that takes place in the Netherlands. It typically serves as a transition for riders between the Flandrian and Ardennes classics.
Philippe Gilbert has won it four times (2010, 2011, 2014, 2017).
The Flèche Wallonne (Belgium)
The Flèche Wallonne is the second Ardennes classic of the season and its finish is at the top of the mythical Mur de Huy, a very steep climb with passages at 22%, which generally favors puncher profiles.
Philippe Gilbert won the Flèche Wallonne in 2011.
Liège - Bastogne - Liège (Belgium)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège is nicknamed the "doyenne" because it is one of the oldest cycling races that still exists. This 250-kilometer race is certainly the most renowned and demanding of the Ardennes classics. It is one of the five Monuments of cycling.
Philippe Gilbert won this event in 2011.
Tour de Romandie (Switzerland)
The Tour de Romandie is a stage race that has been held in Switzerland since 1947.
The event was won in 2016 by Nairo Quintana. Thomas De Gendt won the points classification and the mountain classification there in 2018.
Giro d'Italia (Italy)
The Giro d'Italia or Tour of Italy is the first of three grand tours to take place in the cycling season. Its route takes riders all over Italy. Three riders (Alfredo Binda, Fausto Coppi and Eddy Merckx) hold the record for the race, which was created in 1909, with five wins each. The overall leader wears a pink jersey during the race.
Nairo Quintana won here in 2014. As for Nacer Bouhanni, he won the points classification as well as three stages in 2014. Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka Assos) also won the points classification, in 2015 and 2016.
Critérium du Dauphiné (France)
The Critérium du Dauphiné is a stage race that takes place in France, in the Alps mountain range. Created in 1947, the race takes place a few weeks before the Tour de France and is considered an ideal springboard for the latter, offering climbers in particular numerous passes to gauge themselves before the big race.
Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) finished third overall in 2020.
Tour de Suisse (Switzerland)
The Tour de Suisse is a stage race held in Switzerland. Created in 1933, the race is also considered a preparatory to the Tour de France. It consists of high-mountain stages as well as an individual time trial.
Warren Barguil (Team Arkéa Samsic) finished third overall in 2016, as did Nairo Quintana in 2018.
Tour de France (France)
The Tour de France, also known as the Grande Boucle, is a three-week stage race that takes place in July throughout France and was first held in 1903. Very popular, the event is broadcast in 190 countries. The race is one of the three grand tours and is organized by ASO. The overall leader wears a yellow jersey during the race.
Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) has won five stages in the Tour de France.
Warren Barguil (Team Arkéa Samsic) won the best climber classification as well as two stages in the 2017 edition.
Nairo Quintana has been on the podium at the event three times (2013, 2015, 2016) and has won the best young rider classification twice (2013, 2015).
Clasica San Sebastian (Spain)
The Clasica San Sebastian is a Spanish one-day cycling race that usually takes place the weekend after the Tour de France. Created in 1981, it is considered the climbers' classic due to its profile.
Philippe Gilbert won this event in 2011.
Tour de Pologne (Poland)
The Tour de Pologne is a cycling stage race that takes place during the summer. Established in 1928, it was not opened to professional riders until 1993. The race joined the World Tour calendar in 2005.
Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) won this event in 2016.
EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg (Germany)
The EuroEyes Cyclassics is a one-day cycling race held in Germany. Established in 1996, it takes place every year in August around Hamburg. Most of the best sprinters appear on the list of winners in this event.
Elia Viviani (Cofidis) has won here three times (2017, 2018, 2019). Caleb Ewan won it in 2016, after Nacer Bouhanni dropped out.
Bretagne Classic (France)
The Bretagne Classic, formerly known as the Grand Prix de Plouay, is a one-day cycling race. It is the last World Tour event of the season in France.
Elia Viviani won this race in 2017.
The Vuelta Espana (Spain)
The Vuelta Espana or Tour of Spain is the last of the three major cycling tours of the season. Its route takes riders all over Spain. Roberto Heras is the record holder of the event, created in 1935, with four wins. The overall leader wears a red jersey during the race.
Fabio Aru (Qhubeka Assos) won the event in 2015, while Nairo Quintana won it in 2016.
Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) finished best climber in 2020, while Thomas De Gendt won this classification in 2018.
BinckBank Tour (Belgium / Netherlands)
The BinckBank Tour, formerly known as the Eneco Tour, is a cycling stage race that takes place between Belgium and the Netherlands.
Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) has won twice in this event (2014, 2015) and has been on the podium three more times in subsequent years.
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (Canada)
The Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec is one of the end-of-season classics and is held in Canada. It was created in 2010 and joined the World Tour calendar the following season.
Philippe Gilbert won there in the second edition in 2011.
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (Canada)
The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, which takes place two days before the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, is one of the end-of-season classics and is also held in Canada. It was created in 2010 and became part of the World Tour calendar the following season.
Tim Wellens won this event in 2015. Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) placed second there in 2017.
Eschborn-Frankfurt (Germany)
The Grand Prix de Francfort (also known as Eschborn-Frankfurt) is a one-day cycling race held in Germany that originated in 1962. It joined the World Tour calendar in 2017.
John Degenkolb won it in 2011.
Tour of Lombardy (Italy)
The Tour of Lombardy, nicknamed the Dead Leaves Classic, is a one-day bicycle race that has been held in Italy since 1905. It is the last classic race of the cycling season on the World Tour calendar and is one of the five Monuments of Cycling.
Philippe Gilbert won this event twice in 2009 and 2010.
Tour of Guangxi (China)
The Tour of Guangxi is a stage cycling race held in China. It has been part of the World Tour calendar since its inception and thus replaces the Tour of Beijing, which stopped in 2014.
Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) won the first edition of this race in 2017.
Now that you know all about the World Tour race calendar, all that's left to do is cheer on your favorite riders and teams in front of your TV or at the roadside.
