Petit-Breton

French cycling and the Tour de France are almost impossible to separate. The race began as a French newspaper project in 1903, travelled first...

Milano-Sanremo has always occupied a slightly unusual place in cycling. It is one of the sport’s great Monuments, but it does not behave like the...

La Classicicissima is another old old bike race, starting up in 1907 (and an amateur 2-day version in 1906). The soon to be 2-time Tour de France winner Lucien Petit-Breton won the first race. The 1920s were dominated by Costante Girardengo who won the race 6 times and had 5 further podium places. The Italian dominance continued into the 1940s with heavyweights like Alfredo Binda, Gino Bartali & Fausto Coppi all winning the race.