Andrew Hood

Even though he lost a close sprint to upstart Mathieu van der Poel at Brabantse Pijl, Alaphilippe rolls into Amstel Gold Race with confidence.

Sunday is the last chance for road fans to see Mathieu van der Poel mix it up at the front, and he's expected to put on a show at Amstel Gold Race.

After 10 years representing Team Sky, Chris Froome hopes to give his outgoing sponsor a winning send-off at the mountainous Tour of the Alps.

Riders are concerned that over-eager fans seeking the perfect cycling photo are making dangerous races even riskier.

Paris-Roubaix is always a rough ride across the cobbles in Northern France, but it was a particularly painful day for Tiesj Benoot and Iljo Keisse.

The cycling equivalent to a mid-life crisis leads Gilbert to the cobbled classics, and in a span of just 24 months, he wins cycling's two biggest monument classics.

Chasing the pavé is an annual rite of spring for many cycling photographers. It’s an intense and wildly rewarding day in the car in pursuit of cycling’s 'Hell of the North.'

The pavé may lay in France, but Paris-Roubaix is seen as a Flemish race by even the most Belgian of racers.

Due to their length, the five monuments of cycling are in a class of their own when it comes to the physical demands. Paris-Roubaix may be the hardest of all.

Though Team Sky dominates the grand tours, it has struggled to shine in the northern classics. The team has never won a Paris-Roubaix title. Could this be the year?

The Deceuninck-Quick-Step team of Patrick Lefevere continues to dominate the classics season. With so many stars all vying for wins, how do they do it?

Van Aert has rewarded his team's backing with impressive performances through the classics. With proven ability on the cobbles, he is more than ready for Roubaix.

With its punishing pavé and hard-man racing style, Paris-Roubaix favors the toughest men in the peloton. We look at five dark horses for Sunday.

The WorldTour may have to wait a little longer to see Mathieu van der Poel's true potential as the Dutch champ will return to mountain biking, focusing on the Olympics.

With a long list of contenders, a tough ride over the Muur that split the peloton, and an uncooperative chase, Alberto Bettiol seized the moment — and the victory.

The Belgian super-team takes a chance on a Tour of Flanders rookie, and the young Dane delivers a second-place result with a surprise solo attack.

World champion Alejandro Valverde delighted in his Flanders debut, exceeding expectations to make the group of favorites and sprint to eighth.

Although not in Flanders-winning form of 2016, Sagan and his team remain confident for Roubaix and Liège.

Key to success in Flanders is not the power over the bergs, but the sprint going into them, with course knowledge being vital.

Decision to race through to Liège means Sagan is only approaching peak form, but team and rivals still see him as Flanders threat.

Even though the Belgian super-team missed out at Gent-Wevelgem, its deep bench of classics men ride into the season's most important race with confidence.

Since he was young, Greg Van Avermaet has dreamed of winning Flanders. He has come close on several occasions but is still on a quest to win De Ronde.

Finally rediscovering his old form, Degenkolb might be in the picture at Tour of Flanders, especially given his team's recent show of strength.

All signs point toward a wide-open race at Tour of Flanders with favorites like Sagan and Van Avermaet facing off with up-and-comers from the 'cross scene.

Still searching for the spark that got him onto the Sanremo and Flanders podiums, Heinrich Haussler relies on experience and race smarts at Flanders and Roubaix.

It is a logistical puzzle to run men's and women's races concurrently on the same course, but it can give the women's race greater visibility.

World champion Alejandro Valverde will make his debut at Tour of Flanders Sunday, expecting to soak in the experience rather than sprint for a win.

Wednesday's Dwars door Vlaanderen should be a wide-open opportunity for riders who usually live in the shadows of Flanders favorites.

Rivals are flummoxed by Deceuninck-Quick-Step's control of the classics, but longer, harder races like Roubaix and Flanders may offer new chances.

Isolated in the key moments of Gent-Wevelgem, Greg Van Avermaet left wondering how CCC will ride at Tour of Flanders, his key season goal.

Although Gent-Wevelgem isn't generally regarded as the hardest race of the cobbled classics, the peloton made the 2019 edition a bruising brawl.

Just as Sky dominate the grand tours, Quick-Step rule over classics through an absence of ego and focus on unity.

Changes to parcours to make 'mini-Flanders' more challenging makes it a perfect barometer of strength prior to the cobbled monuments.

Luck, legs, teammates and know-how coming together perfectly mean Stybar goes into Flanders one of the hot favorites.

Ardennes specialist Bob Jungels, winner of Liege 2018, turns over a new leaf at E3, proving to be a valuable teammate and even a threat to win on cobbles.

Former E3 winner Peter Sagan says his form is on track, but a late-race mechanical ruins his outing in Harelbeke, Belgium.

The E3 BinkBank Classic is the gateway to a crush of cobbled one-day races in Flanders. It's not as prestigious as De Ronde, but still is coveted by top pros.

Jumbo-Visma is taking a patient approach to develop its young classics prodigy Wout van Aert, but he's already off to a fast start in 2019.

Ordinarily a dedicated domestique at the Tour de France and other major races, Rowe gets a shot to race as the leader with Sky's classics team.

Don't pigeonhole him as a pure sprinter. Colombian Fernando Gaviria plans to contend at the cobbled spring classics.

Hot off a top-10 result in Milano-Sanremo, Alejandro Valverde looks to defend Catalunya title as Chris Froome kicks off his European schedule.

Surgery to improve blood flow in left leg expected to sideline Sardinian for several months.

Alaphilippe brimming with confidence and form with Itzulia Basque Country and Ardennes next on the hit list.

Australian Michael Matthews had written off Milano-Sanremo after a hard crash in Paris-Nice, but he has recovered quicker than expected.

On paper, Deceuninck-Quick-Step boasts the strongest team for Milano-Sanremo, but can it control a typically unpredictable monument classic?

How to win Milano-Sanremo? Endurance, early season form, a perfectly timed attack on the Poggio or final sprint, and plenty of good luck.

Jumbo-Visma brass say that Roglic is an astute student of the sport, progressing rapidly despite a lack of experience as a junior or under-23 rider.

Team leaders are pleased that Team Sky isn't dying, but they are daunted by the British team's enormous budget, which won't change with new owner.

Pro cycling's first monument classic will feature an intriguing blend of sprinters and climbers who will take on "La Primavera," the longest race of the year.

With a virtually bottomless pocket, Team Sky's new sponsor Jim Ratcliffe and his company Ineos should allow the team to continue its dominance.

Team Astana has already matched its 2017 win tally in less than three months of racing, finding its groove with young talents and now-healthy veterans.

Sky's young Colombian prodigy Egan Bernal impresses at Paris-Nice, cool under fire and strong on all terrain from crosswinds to high mountains.

American team confident its Canadian climber has limitless potential with Tour de France debut likely in 2019.

The two Colombian stars are at different stages of their careers, and they'll face off this weekend on a relatively unknown climb in France.

The first three stages of Paris-Nice showcased the worst conditions Northern France has to offer with cold weather and whipping winds.

The rising French star has found the podium in three monument classics, and his win at Strade Bianche has Alaphilippe dreaming big.

Sunweb staff is relieved Matthews didn't suffer worse injuries in crosswinds crash during Paris-Nice stage 1.

Spring racing begins in earnest for classics contenders and the GC riders alike, but Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico have changed a lot.

Top riders Thibaut Pinot and Marcel Kittel blast their former teammate who was ensnared in recent doping sting in Austria.

A few top riders abandon original early season plans due to setbacks ranging from illness to injury.

Though he is a perennial favorite on the cobblestones, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2019 is Zdenek Stybar's first big win in the northern classics.

Adam Yates will target the 2019 Tour de France with hopes of landing on the final podium

A doping investigation involving Nordic skiers could expose the new techniques used to cheat.

With back-to-back wins in Belgian opener, Deceuninck-Quick-Step puts classics rivals on notice.

As the spring classics begin in earnest, all eyes are on Deceuninck-Quick-Step to see if it can again dominate on the cobbles.

To handle the demands of racing to win from Sanremo through Liège, Peter Sagan opts for a special high-altitude prep that skips classic openers.

The two Belgians are neighbors and often train together, but this weekend they'll be racing against each other on the cobblestones.

World champ Alejandro Valverde plans to race his first Tour of Flanders, and he intends to do much more than simply show off the rainbow jersey.

Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad marks the start of the 2019 classics season.

The Belgian will kick off the classics season at Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, which takes place in the Flanders region of his home country.

The Canadian and EF Education First rider is working to overcome his weakness on the bike: descending.

The classics winner Valgren believes he can win Tour of Flanders. He also talks about his passion for cycling equipment and how he came to the sport.

The 31-year-old American endured two tough seasons but is primed and ready for a better 2019.

The Mitchelton-Scott sport director tells VeloNews grand tour captains would be smart to race the spring classics in preparation for the Tour de France.

Confidence is crucial for a world-class sprinter. Elia Viviani brings his winning mindset from 2018 into 2019 with two victories in the books already.

Jasper Philipsen, 20, is thought to be an immense talent who could soon be the face of Belgian classics riders.

Geraint Thomas says he'll forgo some of his favorite races — those that take place on the cobblestones of France and Belgium — as he prepares for his Tour title defense.

The Tasmanian's main target race is the Tour de France this year, his first with the U.S.-registered team.

A meeting between Sky officials, Colombian President Iván Duque, and others suggest a deal to save the team could be in the works.

The U.S.-based team is victorious in Tuesday's team race against the clock, its first TTT win since 2016.