I thought I was knowledgeable about the WorldTour calendar, but some live coverage included a buzzword that left me puzzled. That word? A Monument. What the heck is a monument? And why do only a handful of races get this label? What makes a monument a monument? My thirst for cycling knowledge put me on a quest to answer those very questions and more. Are you ready to join me? Let’s jump in. What is a Monument?
The three Grand Tours, the Giro, Tour de France and La Vuelta dominate the pro racing calendar, making them the best known to the public, and for good reason. Each one lasts three weeks and provides a massive amount of tv coverage and prestige to single stage winners and the overall victor. But there are other equally prominent one-day races, five of them to be exact, called Monuments.
They are the five most prestigious one-day races in pro racing. Calling them a Monument is a metaphorical expression to emphasise the race’s historical, cultural and sporting significance on the racing calendar. But with a bit more digging, I discovered there is more to it. More to the Monument moniker
Why the word monument specifically? The races have “monumental” importance to any cycling professional. Winning a Monument can make an entire cycling career. Some pros have one as their only target for the year. Did you know it’s nearly impossible to sweep them all? It remains one of, if not the hardest feat […]
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