Spring is coming!
Actually, the new season starts a bit earlier. Spring, as I’m sure someone who has nothing better to do will correct me, doesn’t officially begin until the 21st of March. But I denounced the Gregorian calendar long ago. These days, I run on a mix of gut feeling and cycling events. And since the Spring Classics are on, well, guess which season it is. Simple.
Spring is the best time for everyone who dreams of riding outside again. The weather is a bit iffy, but it’s still better than having your bottles frozen solid or cooking a soup in your jersey while the sun tries to assert its dominance in summer.
And this is where the trouble begins.
Because spring doesn’t just bring better riding conditions. It brings temptation. Races to watch. Festivals to “just visit.” Events to sign up for because this might finally be the year.
These are the dates that will quietly hijack your calendar.
The ones you will watch on the TV
When the pros start flocking to Belgium, you know you’re about to spend a lot more time in front of the TV. Not that the Winter Olympics aren’t entertaining. Sure, the Tour Down Under and those late-winter Spanish stage races gave us something to chew on. But that’s just the warm-up act. The Spring Classics are the main stage.
This is where the best of the best gather to pick up where they left off last year. Same roads. Same cobbles. Same climbs. Different legs. Different ambitions. So make sure you have access to Eurosport, or whoever broadcasts cycling in your country, and a decent reception.
Here’s what not to miss:
Opening Weekend: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad & Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
This is the real start. Nervous energy, crosswinds, cobbles that remind everyone what winter training was for. It’s not polished yet, and that’s exactly why it’s good. You see hunger more than perfection.
Strade Bianche
Gravel sectors slicing through Tuscany, riders covered in dust, the finish in Siena looking like something out of another era. It’s modern racing dressed as a classic. Hard, beautiful, unpredictable.
Paris–Nice
The Race to the Sun brings structure back into the chaos. Stage wins, early GC battles, time trials that already make you overthink July. It’s the first real test of consistency.
Milan–San Remo
Long. Patient. Tactical. Almost 300 kilometres that boil down to a few decisive minutes on the Cipressa and Poggio. You sit through the build-up because you know the finale is always worth it.
Tour of Flanders
The Kwaremont. The Paterberg. Crowds pressed against the barriers. This is where strength meets positioning and timing. Every move feels heavy. Every acceleration matters.
Paris–Roubaix
Cobbles that look unfair even on screen. Bikes rattling. Helmets shaking. The velodrome finish is waiting at the end of it all. The Hell of the North… What is there more to say?
Amstel Gold Race
Short climbs, narrow Dutch roads, constant direction changes. There’s no rhythm to hide in. It rewards sharpness and courage.
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Long climbs, steady pressure, the kind of race that rewards depth rather than flash. It closes the spring campaign with something a bit more measured, a bit more serious.
These races don’t just entertain. They are the prelude to the Grand Tours.
Where you go “just to look”
If you were disciplined during the winter and didn’t spend a kidney’s worth of savings on so-called “winter sales” in January, then it’s time to think gear. Time to release all that built-up frustration properly. And preferably do it where the actual manufacturers show up to present their newest gadgets and innovations.
Who knows, they might even throw a discount or two your way.
Festivals are the perfect place to meet the engineers behind the products. To ask all those burning questions. About geometry, integration, materials, torque curves. And, of course, the important one: can I get 20% off?
So here are the best places to meet your dealers without mediation.
Cyclingworld Europe – Düsseldorf (March 28–30, 2025)
Big, clean, forward-looking. Road, gravel, urban, custom builds. Brands showing what’s next, not what’s left in stock. You go in curious. You leave recalculating your budget.
BikeUP – Bergamo (April 11–13, 2025)
Three days of e-bike testing, real climbs, real torque. Even if you think you don’t need assistance, you’ll want to understand what’s happening in this space. It’s hands-on and surprisingly fun.
Velo Berlin (April 26–27, 2025)
Open-air, wide focus, performance meets city riding. It’s not just about racing. It’s about how bikes fit into life. Expect innovation, lifestyle, and more conversations than you planned for.
Bike Festival Riva del Garda (May 1–4, 2025)
Mountains, lake, demo bikes, and actual riding built into the event. It feels less like a trade show and more like a gathering of people who genuinely love bikes.
Vélo – Paris (April 25–27, 2025)
Modern, urban, future-facing. New tech, new integrations, big-city energy. You don’t just browse here. You explore where cycling is heading.
This is a great place to just go and mingle with like-minded people. You don’t have to buy anything. Though, to be honest, you probably will. You definitely will. But it’s worth it.
Because sooner or later, you’ll use that gear. When it’s time to actually show up. When it’s time to back the talk with legs. When it’s time to test both your skills and your equipment in the events that truly matter.
The ones you will actually ride
Watching is easy. Walking around festivals is even easier. You can leave whenever you want. No one is timing you. No one cares if you “felt good today.”
Riding an event is different.
That’s when the gear gets dirty. When your training either makes sense or doesn’t. When the spring calendar stops being entertainment and becomes a line you stand behind with a number on your back.
And spring is packed with amateur and semi-pro events for every taste.
For the rodies and gravel
If you’ve been glued to the Classics, this is where theory meets asphalt.
Strade Bianche Gran Fondo
You’ve admired the dust clouds and the Siena finish. Now you roll onto the same white roads. The gravel feels different when you’re choosing the line. It’s still beautiful. It’s just less cinematic when your heart rate spikes.
Milan–San Remo Tour
Distance is the story here. Nearly 300 kilometres of patience, pacing, and discipline. Watching it is tactical appreciation. Riding it is energy management in real time.
Paris–Roubaix Challenge
You don’t sign up by accident. The cobbles are the entire point. They rattle your bike, your arms, and occasionally your ego. Surviving them feels earned.
Amstel Gold Race Sportive
Short climbs. Constant turns. No smooth rhythm to settle into. It rewards awareness and controlled aggression, even without a peloton forcing your hand.
Liège–Bastogne–Liège Sportive
Longer efforts, steadier gradients, selective terrain. It’s less explosive, more enduring. The kind of ride where pacing matters more than bravado.
For the MTB Crowd
If spring for you means dirt instead of pavé, there’s no shortage of options.
Granfondo MTB dei Tre Castelli
An early-season test on Italian trails. Structured racing, real elevation, and the first honest look at whether your winter base holds up off-road.
VolCAT Igualada MTB
A multi-day stage race in Spain that rewards consistency. Technical terrain, dry conditions, cumulative fatigue. You don’t win it on one good day.
MTB Garda Marathon
Lake Garda with proper climbing and descending. Big views, big efforts, and enough technical sections to keep you sharp.
Andalucía Bike Race by Garmin
Professional organization, demanding stages, and a reputation that makes you prepare properly. It feels serious because it is.
These are the events where spring stops being a highlight reel. It’s the real deal. Different distances. Different terrain. Different levels of difficulty.
