Power Up Cycling Podcast Episode 27 – “The Hell of the North”

In cycling, the term “classics” has no clear definition. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)—the world’s governing body of cycling—has no mention of the word in its rulings.

But if you’re a cyclist, you know what a classic is: an all-out, one-day race.

When we say classics, we usually mean the Spring Classics, the Cobbled Classics, and the Ardennes Classics, which all kick off with season-opening race Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

There’s also a subset of the classics called “Monuments.” This term covers the five most revered classic cycling races: Milan–San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liege–Bastogne–Liege, and Il Lombardia.

The Paris–Roubaix, also called “the Hell of the North,” is one of the most admired classics of all time! Zwift has a special bond with this one. 2016 winner Mat Hayman trained on Zwift for up to 20 hours a week, performing double days under the guidance of Coach Kev Poulton.

This year, Kev is once again coaching at World Tour level with Team Katusha–Alpecin, helping rider Nils Politt make it to the Paris–Roubaix podium. In Episode 27, we caught up with Nils’ teammate Marco Haller to chat all about the Hell of the North.

Check out the podcast on your favorite streaming channel to listen to what Matt, Kev, and Greg have to say about Spring Classics. You’ll also hear all about Greg’s “World Record,” and why Matt will be sending Greg some shin pads.

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The Zwift Power Up Cycling Podcast features training tips and race commentary from coaches Matt Rowe, Kevin Poulton, and Greg Henderson. Enjoy guest appearances from top pro riders as you learn how to get faster indoors and out.

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