[caption id="attachment_7780" align="aligncenter" width="511"] Photo: Kramon[/caption]

Spring is here, that time of year we love so much. The good weather is here, the time when we like to go out to a terrace for a drink and when going for a walk in short sleeves is becoming more common.

Well, it actually hasn't even started yet; there are still a couple of weeks left, but cycling fans don't understand solstices. For us, spring begins with the arrival of the Classics .

Gone are those exotic and not-so-exotic races. Gone are World Tour events like the UAE Tour or the Tour Down Under , and other more traditional but lower-category races, like the Andalusian, Murcian, and Valencian rounds. Races that capture our attention and excite us all because they signify the arrival of the new season, the new jerseys, the debuts of new signings, but which are merely preseason races when the first classic begins.

Because the Classics are authentic cycling, the tension, racing to win and only to win, without thinking about tomorrow . The Classics are Flanders, Italy... places where cycling takes on a dimension beyond the strictly sporting.

After all the aforementioned races, Belgium opens its arms to everyone for the arrival of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad , a race with an unpronounceable name (we accept that you continue to call it Het Volk), but which has a special meaning. For the most dedicated fans, it's the true start of the season. We see the first poles, the first strange alliances, the toasted drops, the wolfpack sweeping the boards... Few things have changed. And it's always a great show.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] www.viajarflorencia.com[/caption]

After this Belgian foray, we arrive in Tuscany . Those green meadows that inspired so many great artists mean, for cycling enthusiasts, white roads, dust that suffocates the riders and causes the unpleasant but wonderful squeal of the bikes that lets us know we're watching the Strade Bianche .

Can you imagine doing a Strade Bianche without Baggicase?

The Strade Bianche is a race with little history. Little, but very intense. It's the race where we see the strangest and most unimaginable alliances. It's where we see the cyclocross world champion and the Tour de France runner-up collaborating in a breakaway. By the way, you know who we're talking about, and both have Baggicase ;)

What makes the Strade Bianche so unique is precisely the diversity of candidates for victory. It practically only happens in this race. There are as many options as there are lightweights like Valverde, Alaphilippe, and Bardet, as there are powerful stone-cutter riders like Van Aert, Van Avermaet, and Stybar. You never know what kind of rider will win or how diverse this year's podium will be.

The Strade Bianche has acquired the aura of a grand tour after only 10 editions. Many fans are now beginning to consider it the unofficial sixth Monument (for me, there are five Monuments, and that's how it should remain), and it's undoubtedly one of the most anticipated days.

This is no coincidence. To understand the meteoric rise in this race's reputation, we only need to look at its list of achievements. Riders such as Fabian Cancellara (record holder with three wins), Philippe Gilbert, and Michal Kwiatkowski (two) have graced the top step of the podium, and numerous fuoriclase have tried but failed to win. The last two world champions, Alejandro Valverde and Peter Sagan, are two of those who have come closest to winning this race.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Photo: Kramon[/caption]

The 2018 edition delivered one of the most beautiful days of cycling of the entire season. It was Wout van Aert's debut, forming the aforementioned partnership with Romain Bardet. The two were overtaken by a Belgian rocket named Tiesj Benoot, in a wild display on his best day as a professional cyclist. The Strade Bianche isn't a race you'd want to watch on YouTube, and last year's race proved that, with some big names taking a beating far from the finish line.

[caption id="attachment_7780" align="aligncenter" width="511"] Photo: Kramon[/caption]

This year's edition looks equally promising, with great classics and grand prix riders in the running. At the time of writing this post, no teams have been confirmed, so I'd rather avoid naming names, although one who isn't coming stands out among them all: Peter Sagan.

The date is perhaps the race's biggest obstacle in terms of participation. It takes place the day immediately before the start of Paris-Nice, the first major World Tour round in Europe. Therefore, cyclists planning to compete in the French race will have a very difficult time also making it to the dirt roads of Tuscany.

What will this 2019 edition hold? Will we see Valverde win his first major race wearing a rainbow jersey? What unusual photo will we see this year? Perhaps Valverde running away with Van Aert? Will we see a great spectacle?

I only have an answer to the last of your questions. Yes. We'll see a great show.

So, cancel your plans for rice on the beach (I know the weather's nice), family meals, or any other events you have coming up. On Saturday, we have our first big date with the TV watching cycling. It's a big day. It's the Strade Bianche.