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Monuments
The Tour de France may provide the most obvious fame and glory, but it is cycling’s one-day tests that the professional riders really prize. Toughest, longest and dirtiest of all are the so-called ‘Monuments’, the five legendary races that are the sport’s equivalent of golf’s majors or the grand slams in tennis. Milan–Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and the Tour of Lombardy date back more than a century, and each of them is an anomaly in modern-day sport, the cycling equivalent of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Time has changed them to a degree, but they remain as brutally testing as they ever have been. They provide the sport’s outstanding one-day performers – the likes of Philippe Gilbert, Fabian Cancellara, Mark Cavendish, Tom Boonen, Peter Sagan and Thor Hushovd – with a chance to measure themselves against each other and their predecessors in the most challenging tests in world cycling. From the bone-shattering bowler-hat cobbles of the Paris–Roubaix to the insanely steep hellingen in the Tour of Flanders, each race is as unique as the riders who push themselves through extreme exhaustion to win them and enter their epic history.
Over the course of a century, only Rik Van Looy and Eddy Merckx have won all five races. Yet victory in a single edition of a Monument guarantees a rider lasting fame. For some, that one victory has even more cachet than success in a grand tour. Each of the Monuments has a fascinating history, featuring tales of the finest and largest characters in the sport. In The Monuments Peter Cossins tells the tumultuous history of these extraordinary races and the riders they have immortalised.
Time has changed them to a degree, but they remain as brutally testing as they ever have been. They provide the sport’s outstanding one-day performers – the likes of Philippe Gilbert, Fabian Cancellara, Mark Cavendish, Tom Boonen, Peter Sagan and Thor Hushovd – with a chance to measure themselves against each other and their predecessors in the most challenging tests in world cycling. From the bone-shattering bowler-hat cobbles of the Paris–Roubaix to the insanely steep hellingen in the Tour of Flanders, each race is as unique as the riders who push themselves through extreme exhaustion to win them and enter their epic history.
Over the course of a century, only Rik Van Looy and Eddy Merckx have won all five races. Yet victory in a single edition of a Monument guarantees a rider lasting fame. For some, that one victory has even more cachet than success in a grand tour. Each of the Monuments has a fascinating history, featuring tales of the finest and largest characters in the sport. In The Monuments Peter Cossins tells the tumultuous history of these extraordinary races and the riders they have immortalised.
- GenresCyclingSportsNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
August 19, 2017
This is not a bad book, but it suffers from a lack of focus. Just account after account after account, as a large number of riders and their exploits are introduced and superseded by the next. This makes the book a sea of details and I can't imagine remembering more than a tiny fraction of the contents of the book in a few weeks.
The structure of the book - covering each of the 5 monuments from their origin to the present day, before going back in time to the origin of the next monument, etc - is a major handicap as each riders' exploits are split across the 5 sections of the book, and typically emphasised in one section to the detriment of the others. I think a better approach would have been a simpler chronological approach allowing the riders of any era to be covered in one section across all the races.
It is readable and lots of the individual accounts are interesting enough, it's just that they blur into one. I knew a fair bit about these races and some of their history, and I'm certainly interested in them, but even I found the book a bit of a slog from the off. So, for the vast majority of English-speaking readers, who will have little or no knowledge of these races, I suspect the slog would not be worthwhile.
The structure of the book - covering each of the 5 monuments from their origin to the present day, before going back in time to the origin of the next monument, etc - is a major handicap as each riders' exploits are split across the 5 sections of the book, and typically emphasised in one section to the detriment of the others. I think a better approach would have been a simpler chronological approach allowing the riders of any era to be covered in one section across all the races.
It is readable and lots of the individual accounts are interesting enough, it's just that they blur into one. I knew a fair bit about these races and some of their history, and I'm certainly interested in them, but even I found the book a bit of a slog from the off. So, for the vast majority of English-speaking readers, who will have little or no knowledge of these races, I suspect the slog would not be worthwhile.
November 9, 2021
Peter Cossinsin tietokirja "The Monuments: The Grit and the Glory of Cycling’s Greatest One-day Races" (Bloomsbury, 2015) pureutuu maantiepyöräilyn klassikkoajojen - Pariisi–Roubaix'n, Liege-Bastogne-Liegen, Lombardian ympäriajon, Flanderin ympäriajon ja Milano-Sanremon - vaiheisiin.
Viiden klassikkokisan historia on pitkä. Liege-Bastogne-Liege on kilpailuista vanhin. Ensimmäisen kerran reitille startattiin jo vuonna 1892. Sarjan kuopuksena toimiva Flanderin ympäriajo on sekin ollut kalenterissa vuodesta 1913. Värikkäitä sattumuksia on osunut vuosien varrelle runsaasti, ja kilpailun voittajien lista on eräänlainen pyöräilyn Hall of Fame: Eddy Mercxk, Roger de Vlaeminck, Rik van Looy, Fausto Coppi, Sean Kelly... Näistä tosin vain kolme ensiksimainittua ovat kyenneet voittamaan kaikki viisi.
Suurin ongelma lukemassani pyöräilykirjallisuudessa tai ehkä urheilukirjoissa yleensäkin on se, että homma menee helposti toisteiseksi tuloslistojen läpikäymiseksi. Cossins ei täysin välty tältä sudenkuopalta, etenkin kun kisoja käydään kerta toisensa jälkeen läpi samaan tapaan. Kronologinen rakenne on sinänsä käytännöllinen ja perusteltavissa.
"The Monuments" sisältää kuitenkin riittävästi mielenkiintoisia anekdootteja ja värikkäitä tarinoita, jotta lukijan mielenkiinto pysyy mukavasti yllä. Lisäksi klassikoilla on kaikilla omat mielenkiintoiset erityispiirteensä, joista mainittakoon vaikka Pariisi-Roubaix -kisan kiistelty mukulakivetyksinen reitti tai Flanderin ympäriajoon liittyvä paikallisylpeys.
Kyllä tätä voi suositella kaikille maantiepyöräilyn ystäville.
Viiden klassikkokisan historia on pitkä. Liege-Bastogne-Liege on kilpailuista vanhin. Ensimmäisen kerran reitille startattiin jo vuonna 1892. Sarjan kuopuksena toimiva Flanderin ympäriajo on sekin ollut kalenterissa vuodesta 1913. Värikkäitä sattumuksia on osunut vuosien varrelle runsaasti, ja kilpailun voittajien lista on eräänlainen pyöräilyn Hall of Fame: Eddy Mercxk, Roger de Vlaeminck, Rik van Looy, Fausto Coppi, Sean Kelly... Näistä tosin vain kolme ensiksimainittua ovat kyenneet voittamaan kaikki viisi.
Suurin ongelma lukemassani pyöräilykirjallisuudessa tai ehkä urheilukirjoissa yleensäkin on se, että homma menee helposti toisteiseksi tuloslistojen läpikäymiseksi. Cossins ei täysin välty tältä sudenkuopalta, etenkin kun kisoja käydään kerta toisensa jälkeen läpi samaan tapaan. Kronologinen rakenne on sinänsä käytännöllinen ja perusteltavissa.
"The Monuments" sisältää kuitenkin riittävästi mielenkiintoisia anekdootteja ja värikkäitä tarinoita, jotta lukijan mielenkiinto pysyy mukavasti yllä. Lisäksi klassikoilla on kaikilla omat mielenkiintoiset erityispiirteensä, joista mainittakoon vaikka Pariisi-Roubaix -kisan kiistelty mukulakivetyksinen reitti tai Flanderin ympäriajoon liittyvä paikallisylpeys.
Kyllä tätä voi suositella kaikille maantiepyöräilyn ystäville.
August 30, 2021
Great book about the origin and history of the five cycling monuments. Again I was surprised about the historical background of cycling within Europe. It transformed ordinary people into athletes and some of those are considered heroes or even legends by enduring the difficult challenges each of these monuments had to offer beside the grand tours. Fascinating to learn that track cycling predated road cycling in a way that makes a lot of sense but I wasn't aware of because modern time infrastructure is so starkly different to compared to that. Track cycling was the first competitive cycling sport to lay the foundation for all other cycling sports to come after. Simply put: you build a track race circuit along with a stadium around it; which makes it very convenient to sells tickets for and organize races. So it picked up popularity from there on and after a while people are going to wonder how to organize races outside the limited track circuits or different bikes. Limited in that the circuit does not offer that much of a challenge and only the racers will determine the race so it becomes a challenge of the strongest in endurance and sprinting with some racing tactics / instinct.
It can be dominated by strong riders which would make the races 'dull' after time so I understand the desire to organize races which are more unpredictable but still require exceptional athletes to endure these epic races.
It is an intriguing origin story for some of the monuments; boosting newspaper sales by organizing a cycling race. By creating 'absurd' challenges for people to endure and by absurd I mean that relative to nowadays road race cycling. Back in those days a race with 300+ or 400+ km was part of the challenge and unknown territory. Or to gauge the level of the competition and yourself as a cyclist. Milan-Sanremo or Paris-Roubaix as 'preparation' for the grand tours which nowadays seems crazy but in the early 20th century not so much.
There are lot of famous cyclists involved with these monuments but I thoroughly enjoyed the stories about the early winners predating the First World War and those predating the Second World War. Where routes could change every year, sometimes drastic and sometimes not so, and the road infrastructure was nowhere on the level it is now. To take an example; when reading about Il Lombardia in the early days it sounds a lot like Strade Bianchi nowadays with its many gravel roads. There weren't many asphalted roads and those that existed of course are within cities or as main roads between cities.
After reading this book I am wondering how cycling has gone such different paths among the different continents. Where in Europe everyday cycling as transportation is accommodated and respected more so compared to North-America. What exactly happened within track cycling; How come that in The Netherlands along some other countries have an unique cycling infrastructure while others have not? How can we accommodate cycling more globally in order to diminish the amount of required cars and required car infrastructure?
[not book related]
The bicycle was a cheaper alternative in the early days of the 20th century as cars were expensive and sparely available. Steadily through the 20th century this has been declining and the amount of cars have been piling up. Literally piling up; traffic jams, swaths of lands with disposed broken cars, huge amounts of space allocated for parking cars and the amount of energy to drive these huge lumps of metal around. With the CO2 emissions goals ahead of us; I think it is time again to restore the status of the bike it had in the early 20th century :)
It can be dominated by strong riders which would make the races 'dull' after time so I understand the desire to organize races which are more unpredictable but still require exceptional athletes to endure these epic races.
It is an intriguing origin story for some of the monuments; boosting newspaper sales by organizing a cycling race. By creating 'absurd' challenges for people to endure and by absurd I mean that relative to nowadays road race cycling. Back in those days a race with 300+ or 400+ km was part of the challenge and unknown territory. Or to gauge the level of the competition and yourself as a cyclist. Milan-Sanremo or Paris-Roubaix as 'preparation' for the grand tours which nowadays seems crazy but in the early 20th century not so much.
There are lot of famous cyclists involved with these monuments but I thoroughly enjoyed the stories about the early winners predating the First World War and those predating the Second World War. Where routes could change every year, sometimes drastic and sometimes not so, and the road infrastructure was nowhere on the level it is now. To take an example; when reading about Il Lombardia in the early days it sounds a lot like Strade Bianchi nowadays with its many gravel roads. There weren't many asphalted roads and those that existed of course are within cities or as main roads between cities.
After reading this book I am wondering how cycling has gone such different paths among the different continents. Where in Europe everyday cycling as transportation is accommodated and respected more so compared to North-America. What exactly happened within track cycling; How come that in The Netherlands along some other countries have an unique cycling infrastructure while others have not? How can we accommodate cycling more globally in order to diminish the amount of required cars and required car infrastructure?
[not book related]
The bicycle was a cheaper alternative in the early days of the 20th century as cars were expensive and sparely available. Steadily through the 20th century this has been declining and the amount of cars have been piling up. Literally piling up; traffic jams, swaths of lands with disposed broken cars, huge amounts of space allocated for parking cars and the amount of energy to drive these huge lumps of metal around. With the CO2 emissions goals ahead of us; I think it is time again to restore the status of the bike it had in the early 20th century :)
June 26, 2018
A long slog - much like the monuments it talks of!
January 1, 2018
This book focuses on the five biggest one day races in cycling. These are in order of the book - Liege - Bastogne - Liege, Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Lombardy, Milan - Sanremo and Tour of Flanders. In cycling hierarchy, it goes basically the 3 grand tours then the 5 monuments (though it also depends on the riders) and then the rest really depends on where the riders are from on a seasons objectives. Of course other races are briefly mentioned but in context of the riders (Tou de France is in the index 28 times, Giro D'Italia 15 times and Vuelta isn't mentioned in the index.
Peter Cossins (former editor of ProCycling magazine) has done a really good jobs, he has worked to a structured plan on laying our. Each race gets four chapters, the first chapter tends to be pre World War I with some really good detail on the establishment of each race, the second chapter being the inter war period, the third chapters covering usually the 50s and 60s up to the 70s and the fourth chapter more recent times. Cossins has a fine eye for a good anecdote. One of which is that there is a story on the first running of Paris-Roubaix being that a catholic priest was unhappy with the race being ran on Easter Sunday, the race directeur arranged that an early morning mass so riders could attend mass. Cossins adds a further sentence to this story as a spoiler to it.
This was a really fascinating book, well researched with plenty of good sources in the bilbliography (2 of which I have read also being John Foot's excellent book on Italian Cycling Pedalare Pedalare and Laurent Fignon's autobiography. Though also in it is very knowledgeable cycling historian Les Woodland and other well known cycling writers like Daniel Friebe and William Fotheringham)
It isn't the full picture, some editions of the races are only briefly mentioned, others barely mentioned but in a book 370 pages long on 5 races, each race is worthy of it's own book (indeed looking at the bibliography, there has been several for many races :D) but this a really good read
Peter Cossins (former editor of ProCycling magazine) has done a really good jobs, he has worked to a structured plan on laying our. Each race gets four chapters, the first chapter tends to be pre World War I with some really good detail on the establishment of each race, the second chapter being the inter war period, the third chapters covering usually the 50s and 60s up to the 70s and the fourth chapter more recent times. Cossins has a fine eye for a good anecdote. One of which is that there is a story on the first running of Paris-Roubaix being that a catholic priest was unhappy with the race being ran on Easter Sunday, the race directeur arranged that an early morning mass so riders could attend mass. Cossins adds a further sentence to this story as a spoiler to it.
This was a really fascinating book, well researched with plenty of good sources in the bilbliography (2 of which I have read also being John Foot's excellent book on Italian Cycling Pedalare Pedalare and Laurent Fignon's autobiography. Though also in it is very knowledgeable cycling historian Les Woodland and other well known cycling writers like Daniel Friebe and William Fotheringham)
It isn't the full picture, some editions of the races are only briefly mentioned, others barely mentioned but in a book 370 pages long on 5 races, each race is worthy of it's own book (indeed looking at the bibliography, there has been several for many races :D) but this a really good read
January 26, 2026
This is an eminently skimmable book. The author, God bless him, feels the need to fill the stories of the five Monuments with just about every minor detail he can find with an encyclopedic recitation of every winner and loser ever to clip in for one of these events. It would have been much better had he chosen to select a few representative tales to illustrate the larger points he was seeking to make.
He’s at his best when he frames the foundation of each of these races and explains how they have changed over time and how they reflect the distinct histories and cultures of France, Italy, and Belgium where they are based. His final chapter comparing the legacy of these events and assessing the roles they play today and in the coming years is also valuable. The rest is really for the most diehard of cycling fans.
He’s at his best when he frames the foundation of each of these races and explains how they have changed over time and how they reflect the distinct histories and cultures of France, Italy, and Belgium where they are based. His final chapter comparing the legacy of these events and assessing the roles they play today and in the coming years is also valuable. The rest is really for the most diehard of cycling fans.
November 16, 2021
Llegué a este libro interesado por la génesis del "Monumento" como institución y me topé con un compendio de narraciones y anécdotas históricas muy interesantes pero en su mayor parte ya manidas. Es una pena que Cossins perdiera la oportunidad de hacer un gran libro sobre la formación de los mitos ciclistas, que no explorara los motivos y las razones por las que unas carreras y no otras entraron en el panteón del deporte.
Ahí sigue habiendo un gran libro. En la síntesis del "Monumento", en la política que los forjó, en la narración mediática que los acompañó y acompaña. Simplemente no es este libro (ahora bien, si eres un apasionado de la historia ciclista pues te apaña varias tardes, como a mí).
Ahí sigue habiendo un gran libro. En la síntesis del "Monumento", en la política que los forjó, en la narración mediática que los acompañó y acompaña. Simplemente no es este libro (ahora bien, si eres un apasionado de la historia ciclista pues te apaña varias tardes, como a mí).
September 20, 2024
A review of some of the oldest and most important one-day races in the cycling calendar, the so-called "monuments". The book is divided in five parts, one for each "monument": Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Roubaix, Il Lombardia, Milan-Sanremo and Tour of Flanders. Each part dedicates a lengthy review of the history of a given race.
I thought the book was written in a straightforward style, and it manages to capture the epic of some of the performances of olden days. As I read the electronic version of it, I felt more illustrations could have been added to it, not sure if that's the case for the print edition. In any case, a good representation of the history of the toughest one-day races in cycling.
I thought the book was written in a straightforward style, and it manages to capture the epic of some of the performances of olden days. As I read the electronic version of it, I felt more illustrations could have been added to it, not sure if that's the case for the print edition. In any case, a good representation of the history of the toughest one-day races in cycling.
March 30, 2018
The art of writing is to paint pictures with words. The Monuments should provide a rich seam of inspiration for that - the history, the suffering, the exploits. Yet it is all lost in a sea of turgid detail. Seemingly every addition of each race is covered with a review of one sentence or one page. Almost no space is given over to what each race is really like. As you bounce from one set of facts to the next, you find yourself in the bizarre position of forgetting it as you are actually reading it. What a waste of an incredible subject.
It also doesn’t appear to have been proof read - “Jacques Poulidor” makes an appearance at Liege-Bastogne-Liege...
It also doesn’t appear to have been proof read - “Jacques Poulidor” makes an appearance at Liege-Bastogne-Liege...
March 1, 2020
It was a good read and well detailed on the early history of the Monument races. I wish it discussed a bit more about some of the more recent rivalries, but then the book would be twice as long. This is definitely a book for people that are really into cycling. Not much 'story' there for the casual reader. But, if you like the Spring Classics and one-day racing, this is full of history.
February 11, 2024
In short, this work is 400 pages of short stories and one-off tidbits that give the cycling fan a deeper appreciation for the bedrock one-day races. I like this book because it introduced me to quite a few European geo-political issues that I was ignorant of. I’m not sorry I read it, but no one would ever describe this book as “gripping.”
August 12, 2020
Great reading material if you're into cycling. Knowing the history behind these five races and those whose exploits who made them great is just fascinating. Still, be warned that there are lots of names, many of which you surely have never heard before, so you might need to pay close attention.
January 1, 2022
Great read if interested in the history of the monuments
If you are interested in the history of the monuments and want to know more about their beginnings and developments this is a great read.
If you are interested in the history of the monuments and want to know more about their beginnings and developments this is a great read.
August 7, 2023
Well written and thorough but the deep five into the history gets a little monotonous. The recent past is covered well and keeps your attention. Love the races and what they mean to cycling and the area they're in
August 24, 2023
Really enjoyable reading about the development of some of the best bike races in the world. Full of fascinating facts and stories of characters.
Helpful if you have a good knowledge of the historical figures in cycling already when starting to read this book.
Helpful if you have a good knowledge of the historical figures in cycling already when starting to read this book.
September 30, 2023
It was a good read, the author picked good subjects to interview for their experiences, which I wish he would have done more for the recent races but I also understand that is not easy to do. Overall I enjoyed it!
December 30, 2024
A good book for the cycling nerd, but wouldn’t be of much interest to anyone else. In depth history of the origins and competitors that make the five grand one day races in cycling great. A nice read for any cycling fan who wants to understand more about the sport outside of the Tour de France.
April 13, 2019
Interesting 🔥
November 10, 2021
For fans. Lots of names. I liked it
January 12, 2022
A thorough history of the 5 historic monuments of road cycling. Only for the true bike geeks of the world. I enjoyed it.
April 22, 2022
Enjoyable introduction to each of the five Monuments.
March 11, 2024
This is not a book, it's a chronological list of winners with some wiki-like anecdotes. No narrative, no life, almost no emotions.
April 12, 2024
Un acercamiento imprescindible a las carreras más espectaculares del calendario ciclista internacional
July 28, 2024
Formulaic, but a good read if you're the right kind of nerd.
November 2, 2024
A bit heavy on the action-by-action chronicle, it remains very readable. I would have prefered more focus on the peculiarities and geography of the races, but good read nonetheless
August 12, 2025
While there's been a lot of research and background checking gone into the book it's very dense and not the most engaging. It's not a light read by any stretch of the imagination.
September 7, 2023
A great read little heavy on the detail and the going year by year can get a touch tedious but most of the time its interesting
September 11, 2023
Very detailed and well researched, almost too much for me and I am interested. It's more of a book to dip into rather than read in one go. If you want to know what the winner of the Milan-San Remo in 1908 had for breakfast then this is the book for you. I will be keeping it as a reference book, the appendix at the end is truly amazing.
February 1, 2015
I thought I had reviewed this book already, but obviously not.
Do you like cycling? Yes. Read this book.
Do you enjoy watching cycling? Yes. Read this book.
Do you enjoy reading books about sport? Yes. Read this book.
If you do not enjoy cycling, it really doesn't matter so much because this book is about a series of races that are called monuments, one day races. Their history and previous riders comments etc. It is pretty packed full of information, and really makes the reader appreciate how bloody difficult they are.
This book has made me want to watch more monument races. I actually watched 2014's races after reading about them and it gave the race a whole new dynamic to what I was seeing.
It is a hefty book, and will be re-read more than once. I am looking forward to watching the races this year.
Do you like cycling? Yes. Read this book.
Do you enjoy watching cycling? Yes. Read this book.
Do you enjoy reading books about sport? Yes. Read this book.
If you do not enjoy cycling, it really doesn't matter so much because this book is about a series of races that are called monuments, one day races. Their history and previous riders comments etc. It is pretty packed full of information, and really makes the reader appreciate how bloody difficult they are.
This book has made me want to watch more monument races. I actually watched 2014's races after reading about them and it gave the race a whole new dynamic to what I was seeing.
It is a hefty book, and will be re-read more than once. I am looking forward to watching the races this year.
September 10, 2023
The strength of this book is its quirky anecdotes relating to the early era of cycling, pre-war days when the riders would carry their own inner tubes and even spare wheels, and rely on alcohol and amphetamines to power them over colossal distances in multi stage events. Rivalries between the greats are dissected a meticulous detail and this is really where the trouble begins. Far too much detail in fact, which, towards the end of the book, leaves the reader wondering what they can move on to next or when they can get it all finished. With holidays looming, I chose to call it a day, not quite completed, but nevertheless happy to have been enriched some solid factoids to impress the peleton with during the next Sunday morning, breakfast ride.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews