Milan-San Remo, the longest one-day race in the modern sport, is officially the first Monument of the season. We asked Mark Cavendish, only the second Briton to have won this esteemed race (in 2009), to explain its appeal and what racing it is really like.

For me, Milan–San Remo marks the beginning of the proper full blown cycling season. The nickname ‘La Primavera' is totally fitting. The race is almost an opera to the change in seasons. We start in Milan, where it's always cold, damp and grey, with jackets and leg warmers, like we've been training in through the winter up until now. In keeping with an opera, the action starts fast and aggressive, with some attacks to start the story of the day and form the basis of the race. We then settle down and work our way to the Ligurian coast, trying to hide in the wheels and save as much energy as possible. It's not difficult at this point, but every piece of energy saved in this part will have a positive effect after 290km.

The first climb is Passo del Turchino. It's the highest point of the race. You're not likely to get dropped here, but it certainly indicates if your legs are good on the day. At the top, you enter a tunnel and as you exit, you see the Mediterranean in front of you. The turquoise sea. That tunnel acts as a gateway to spring. The clouds all disappear and the sun shines down. After a descent down to the coast, the race, or the opera, starts to build its gradual crescendo to the finalé. Off come your leg warmers, your jackets, your casquettes. Replaced with clean jerseys, dossards and race faces. Along the Riviera, the pace gradually gets faster and faster, over the three capi, and then the Cipressa and the Poggio. Each climb slightly harder than the last, each with a smaller group, yet each with a bigger fight to arrive first into it. The thing that sets Milan-San Remo apart is the fact that it's an unknown result right up until the final meters. Will the attack from the climbers prove fruitful? Will the daredevil descender stay away? Will the sprinter have enough energy after fighting over the climb? Will his team even be able to pull back those attackers in the last 2km after the Poggio? Even when we race, it's impossible to calculate. Which leaves that element of luck. And that stronger element of will to win.

The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne weekend is the early season’s cold shower, a rude awakening for many. Historically the Belgians lead the charge with 54 wins at Omloop. Last year, however, Ian ‘Yogi’ Stannard proved he was smarter than your average rider by outfoxing three classics specialists all on the same team to win it for a second year in a row. Another Rapha-clad rider who has won the race (in 2013) is CANYON//SRAM tough nut, Tiffany Cromwell. Here she describes how she’s a beast for Belgium.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is certainly a special race for me since winning it, but that's not the only reason it's one of my favourites. I have loved it ever since I first raced there in 2011. It's not the biggest of the Classics but it is the opener for the Classics season where you get that taste and excitement back. I have always really enjoyed the course too. It's a perfect combination of enough kilometres to warm into the race before it becomes game on with the climbs and then later stages with the flat cobbled sectors, before the run back into the finish. It's just a really nice race in my opinion, the perfect event to kick-start the Spring Classics campaign.

Then there's Flanders. Probably the most prestigious one-day race (aside from Worlds or Olympics) that the women have on our calendar. Waking up on Flanders morning is like waking up on Christmas day as a kid. There's so much excitement but also some nerves, the atmosphere is incredible. The smell of frites and beer and the sound of cowbells ringing is iconic with this race. Then there's the race itself, it's like going into battle with no time to lose focus. You need to be strong, smart but also have some luck to win this race and if you do, you will be remembered. It's just one of those races that really excites me and is the climax of the spring, so you hope to finish it on a high.

There’s not one special ingredient to win a race like this, but more a concoction of elements that all need to come together on the day. First and foremost a strong team is very important, to work together and use your energy efficiently. It's about sharing the workload or saving yourself if you're the protected rider, as every ounce of energy counts. Then it's a combination of strength, skills, focus and a good tactical head. You need to be always thinking ahead, thinking about what section is next. Experience in these races counts for so much, knowing the course is invaluable. One false move onto a cobbled sector or a climb, that could be the difference of winning or losing. As they say, it's not necessarily the strongest who wins, but the smartest.

“It’s about getting the clothing right and staying as warm as possible.”
– Ian Stannard

Knowing how to persist in inclement weather is a really fine attribute to have, but you can’t just train for this, you also need the right equipment.

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