Ardennes classics: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 13:43, 23 April 2014
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The Ardennes classics are three cycling classics held in mid-April in the Ardennes (Belgium) and Dutch Limburg. The races are notable for their hilly courses, and often have similar riders competing for the top positions as the races are held close after each other. In recent years, the three classics are held within a 8-day timeframe.
The only winners of the "triple" are Davide Rebellin in 2004 and Philippe Gilbert in 2011. Gilbert also won the Brabantse Pijl, another important hill classic in mid-April, winning the "quadruple" that year. Other riders to win all three races, though not in a single year, are Danilo Di Luca, Michele Bartoli, Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault.
There is no official competition connecting the three races, although there have been classifications in the past for the two Walloon races.
In recent years, these three hill classics are held in the second half of April, following a similar set of the Cobbled classics.
Later in the year, there are two similar 'trebles' in Italy: the Trittico Lombardo with the Tre Valli Varesine, Coppa Ugo Agostoni and Coppa Bernocchi in the Lombardy Region, and the Trittico di Autunno (Autumn Triptych) with Milano–Torino, Giro del Piemonte and Giro di Lombardia.