written by Don Hamstre of don hamstre team
  
  When we think back to last season we always let the big moments pass by again. Big moments were not rare in this season's classics. Let us start with looking back on the classics of Division 1. Not just with the usual review, but by interviewing former greats about their thoughts on this season's races.
  
  Alpe d'Huez
  I spoke about the Alpe d'Huez classic with all-time great and former winner Sterling Dorsher. Back in the fourteenth edition of this heroic race, the Englishman fought of some incredible competition to win this classic. What does he think is the secret behind winning on Alpe d'Huez? Dorsher answered:'Ofcourse you will have to train hard to become a world class climber first. But in the race itself, it is all about the teamwork. Without a team, you are never going to win, no matter how good you are.' Don Hamstre: "But being a Division one classic, the teams are always going to be strong. So the race can not be won on teamwork alone either. But let us keep the differences in opinion for what they are. Was this race exciting to watch this season?" Dorsher answered:'The race was full of excitement all the way. I could not even go to the bathroom, because I was afraid to miss something. It was obvious that Greenride wanted to give Godo Figuereido a great last result, but they were completely surprised when Nico-Jan Stubbe (WV De Dommel), last seasons winner, attacked on the Col du Galibier. When he got to early leaders Vonk (Club Ciclista Riaza) and Runge (EEO), nobody thought they would make it. But the lead kept growing. Greenride kept believing they would get them back, but on the Col de la Croix de Fer, two more riders, Goodrich (scuppernong) and Vaquero (Gradient Levellers) attacked. When the chasers joined the leading group, it became so strong that even the whole Greenride Armada could not get them back. But the excitement didn't end there. The final climb was going to make the difference. The early leaders Vonk and Runge soon couldn't follow the pace. With just a kilometre to go, Goodrich attacked. He looked like was was going to make it, but Vaquero exploded, got away from Stubbe and was just able to beat Goodrich at the finish line. What an amazing performance of the young Spaniard'
  
  Roubaix Classic
  I met triple winner of Roubaix Classic, Landon Naumann, at his house in Vancouver. He had been looking forward so much to this race because: 'It is a truly heroic fight on the cobbles of Northern France. I love to see the riders struggle and fall and only the best and toughest can win it' But this season was going to be the greatest disappointment he ever had. Naumann said: 'The race looked like it was going to be normal. A group of leaders, the big names waiting in the peloton. But they did give the leaders an awful lot of room this time. It turned out to be too much. Two leaders surprised us all by staying ahead, Rafael Boezemans (Dingetjes) and Damian Thompson (Matrix team). But the surprise did not end there. Boezemans, the stronger cobbler of the two, could not follow Thompson's pace. Thompson got a very surprising victory, while Boezemans was beaten in the sprint when he was overtaken by the group of favourites. Firminho Botelho (team Tirilla) came in second and You Xiang (Asymm Projest) got the final podium spot' That Matrix manager Thomas Anderson had to make excuses for this stolen victory says enough. But is it a stolen victory or just the fault of a lazy chase by the favourites?
  
  Zurich-Bern-Zurich
  I had the honor of meeting a national hero with my interview for Zürich-Bern-Zürich. Willy Rodland became the first (and so far only) Swiss rider to get his hands on the Zurich-Bern-Zurich trophy. Although this race

is seen by many as less important as Alpe d'Huez, it is better not to say that in the face of this man. He is lyrical about Zurich-Bern-Zurich: 'How can a race with five of the toughest possible climbs and some amazing views ever be boring' he said. With may of the best riders at Alpe d'Huez, the competition can't be called weaker. But unlike the French race, Zurich-Bern-Zurich just does not have the famous climbs every young rider dreams of climbing. After I said this to Willy, he kicked me out. So I went to winner Umberto Impelliteri to ask him what his thoughts about the race were. 'This race was like hell. I had no chance to take a rest in the back of the peloton." With Vaquero, Stubbe and Vonk in the group, everyone expected an early attack again and so they just kept the tempo incredibly high. My team worked really hard for me, but on the final climb, I was the man who had to finish the job. I felt like attacking myself, so I did, but my heart sunk when I say Vaquero and Bob Lepage (sprint4live) at my back wheel. I didn't even think about beating them for a single moment, so at the final straight, I kept my head down and gave everything. After the finish line, I saw my manager Rene running at me with a happy face. My first thoughts were to run away, but then I realized I had just won the classic! I will never forget that day.'
  
  Nowich-London
  Nowich-London is a race every sprinting team must have won to be taken seriously. A team that is therefore being very seriously, is Team Z. I spoke to the rider who got them their reputation by winning in London three times in a row, Kenny Haakon.
  Don Hamstre: So tell me Kenny, what makes Norwich-London so special? Kenny Haakon:'It is not only the race itself, it's the unbelievable atmosphere created by the fans. From all over Europe, the fans came to London and made a huge party of it every year and since the Olympics it has even become better.' Don Hamstre: But does the crowd not distract you while sprinting for victory? Kenny Haakon:'if you are really good, you shouldn't be distracted by anything during sprints. I got my energy from the roars of the public, but some others may struggle. For them it's really hard to win this' DH:Was there anything extraordinary about this edition or was it just a normal sprint? Kenny Haakon: 'Sprints are never normal! The battle for the best positions is always very tough. This season, I felt like powerhouse Ugulnikov (nonnies) was a victim of this battle. He clearly had the best sprint, but had to come from too far and only finished fourth. The much more experienced teams of Todd Caff (sprint4live), Gert Sijmonds (Yuri SuperTeam) and Rytis Kondrotas (Red Star) did the job as usual and gave their captains the chance to sprint for victory. At the finish line, Kondrotas turned out to be just a little bit faster than Sijmonds. Caff finished third, still respectable for someone of his age. But a great result for Red Star, they get to take the trophy home!'
  
  Bergen Runtur
   Bergen Rundtur is a brand new classic. With no hill classics in Top Division, the OCM Directors Board decided this had to change. This race was once again about Anghel Ghidarcea. He won this race for the fourth time, keeping up his record of finishing in the Top-6 for the seventh season in a row. 'This race just tends to be right up my alley' he said 'so when I heard it was to become a classic, I couldn't believe my luck. I still had to win it, but it was just meant to be.' Ghidarcea broke away at the second to last hill, leaving everyone else behind. Two minutes after the Romanian, Bard Shkreli (NECFTW) won the sprint before Klaus Villyn (duvelke), who completed the podium.
  
  Antwerpen-Huy
  Fakhiri Abdel (two times winner) contacted me when he heard I was

looking for someone to interview about Antwerpen-Huy. But he had a slight problem. So could he come over there for the interview?' I said no, so I had nobody to interview.
  The race on the Belgian cobbles was very exciting and this time it was even more prestigious. After the failure at Roubaix Classic, the top-cobblers had to prove themselves. But they nearly were surprised again, when Daniel Dantas stayed ahead for a very long time. But they catched up withn him in the final kilometre and the sprint was going to be a battle of the beasts. Rogerio Echave (TACXkin) finished third, Edward Simon (lastplace1414) got second place. But Mauricio Viola (Glamourade) was victorious once again, becoming the first man to win this classic three times.
  
  Astana GP
  We travel to Kazakhstan for the third and final cobble classic. Astana GP is however not a classic like the others, as Kelemen Nae explains: 'You have to be good on the flat roads to win this one. This is were I got very lucky, as they are not my specialty. But this season was a great example of how important those skills are. After some tough cobble sections, there is a final bit of windy roads to the city itself. Artur Helle (Dingetjes) made use of his skills to break away from the leading group on that particular bit of the route and not on one of the cobble sections. He managed to stay ahead and won. Mauricio Viola showed again he has a great sprint, but he was not happy with his third place. He was even more upset with the fact he got beaten by Bartoli Rivera (omega pharma lotto), his arch-nemesis, for second place.
  
  Helsinki GP
  Helsinki GP is the final chance of the season for sprinters to win a classic. Famous drinking beast Patya Gordeyeva has good memories of the race.'It is always nice to win in your home nation, and winning twice is even better' Don Hamstre: But you are not from Finland, so this isn't your home race! PG: Finland, what is that? Is that a Vodka brand?' I gave up on asking him topographical details and focused on the race. Don Hamstre:Were you surprised by the outcome of the race? Patya Gordeyeva: 'No, I guess not. It is totally normal for a TT'er to win a hills race? After this, I gave up asking him about race details too. The result was very surprising, as Hanneken Mons (not a TT'er) managed to stay ahead of the sprinting pack. Gert Sijmonds got second again and was not very happy. Tadaki Ko (Hommerts Cycling Team), nr1 of the rankings, was also a bit disappointed with his third place. We leave our final words of the great Patya: 'There is no trophy as good to use for a party as the Helsinki Boats. You can make it float on top of a bath of Vodka!
  
  Criterium la Provence
  We end the classic season were we started. Critérium La Provence is the final classic and not the most wanted one. But it is still pretty interesting. Ward Deroek has always liked this race and became first two times. 'A finish on Mont Ventoux is always epic. The conditions are so hard and the wind is so strong, it takes a special rider to win this race' the Belgian said: 'I would have liked to see Danny Van Putten win, because he is in the team with my nephew Karel-Jan (Die Tour Phantome), but Bonifatio Ballestro (NECFTW) was clearly the best. Erik Williamson (thedutchies) looked like he could shook off Bonifacio for a long time, but in the end he collapsed and was even beaten by Van Putten at the finish.'
  
  So this were all classics of Division 1. Congrats to all winners and all who are able to participate in the great event. And for the ones that aren't that lucky at the moment: Keep believing becaue maybe one day you will be part of these epic races!
  One thing is sure: I'm looking forward to next season's classics!