The cobbled classics are raced over a combination of asphalt and cobblestones, frequently on tight and winding rural lanes. Some of the cobbled classics are mainly flat, such as Paris-Roubaix and Scheldeprijs, but others include a barrage of short and sharp hills, such as the Tour of Flanders and E3 Harelbeke. They are traditionally won by powerful riders who are expert bike-handlers on the cobbles, such as Fabian Cancellara or Tom Boonen.
The Ardennes classics are hilly races that all take place in the Ardennes region of Belgium and the Netherlands. They have as much as 4,500m of vertical ascent and a race-deciding climb close to the finish. There are three Ardennes classics, all of which take place within the space of a week in April: Amstel Gold Race, La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. They are usually won by pure climbers, such as Alejandro Valverde or Joaquim Rodriguez, or riders who can power their way up short and sharp climbs, such as Philippe Gilbert or Simon Gerrans.
The most notable race not to fit into any of the above categories is Milan-San Remo, which contains late climbs but is usually seen as a Classic for sprinters such as Mark Cavendish, who won the race in 2009. Another exception is Strade Bianche in Italy, which takes place over a combination of asphalt and gravel and includes a decisive late climb.
