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Ardennes classics

 
Wikipedia: Ardennes classics

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 winner of the "triple" was Davide Rebellin in 2004. Other Italian riders to win all three races in recent years, though not in a single year, are Danilo Di Luca and Michele Bartoli. Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault are the other riders to have won all three races in their careers.

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 three Cobbled classics.

Year Amstel Gold Race La Flèche Wallonne Liège-Bastogne-Liège
2009 Flag of Russia.svg Serguei Ivanov (RUS) Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rebellin (ITA) Flag of Luxembourg.svg Andy Schleck (LUX)
2008 Flag of Italy.svg Damiano Cunego (ITA) Flag of Luxembourg.svg Kim Kirchen (LUX) Flag of Spain.svg Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
2007 Flag of Germany.svg Stefan Schumacher (GER) Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rebellin (ITA) Flag of Italy.svg Danilo Di Luca (ITA)
2006 Flag of Luxembourg.svg Fränk Schleck (LUX) Flag of Spain.svg Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Flag of Spain.svg Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
2005 Flag of Italy.svg Danilo Di Luca (ITA) Flag of Italy.svg Danilo Di Luca (ITA) Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ)
2004 Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rebellin (ITA) Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rebellin (ITA) Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rebellin (ITA)
2003 Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) Flag of Spain.svg Igor Astarloa (ESP) Flag of the United States.svg Tyler Hamilton (USA)
2002 Flag of Italy.svg Michele Bartoli (ITA) Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Mario Aerts (BEL) Flag of Italy.svg Paolo Bettini (ITA)
2001 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Erik Dekker (NED) Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Rik Verbrugghe (BEL) Flag of Switzerland.svg Oscar Camenzind (SUI)
2000 Flag of Germany.svg Erik Zabel (GER) Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Casagrande (ITA) Flag of Italy.svg Paolo Bettini (ITA)
1999 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Michael Boogerd (NED) Flag of Italy.svg Michele Bartoli (ITA) Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Frank Vandenbroucke (BEL)
1998 Flag of Switzerland.svg Rolf Järmann (SUI) Flag of Denmark.svg Bo Hamburger (DEN) Flag of Italy.svg Michele Bartoli (ITA)
1997 Flag of Denmark.svg Bjarne Riis (DEN) Flag of France.svg Laurent Jalabert (FRA) Flag of Italy.svg Michele Bartoli (ITA)
1996 Flag of Italy.svg Stefano Zanini (ITA) Flag of the United States.svg Lance Armstrong (USA) Flag of Switzerland.svg Pascal Richard (SUI)
1995 Flag of Switzerland.svg Mauro Gianetti (SUI) Flag of France.svg Laurent Jalabert (FRA) Flag of Switzerland.svg Mauro Gianetti (SUI)
1994 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Johan Museeuw (BEL) Flag of Italy.svg Moreno Argentin (ITA) Flag of Russia.svg Evgeni Berzin (RUS)
1993 Flag of Switzerland.svg Rolf Järmann (SUI) Flag of Italy.svg Maurizio Fondriest (ITA) Flag of Denmark.svg Rolf Sørensen (DEN)
1992 Flag of Germany.svg Olaf Ludwig (GER) Flag of Italy.svg Giorgio Furlan (ITA) Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Dirk de Wolf (BEL)
1991 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Frans Maassen (NED) Flag of Italy.svg Moreno Argentin (ITA) Flag of Italy.svg Moreno Argentin (ITA)
1990 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Adri van der Poel (NED) Flag of Italy.svg Moreno Argentin (ITA) Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Eric van Lancker (BEL)

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.


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