Tadej Pogacar and Demi Vollering were the absolute masters of this season. But they were not alone in captivating fans, and among the protagonists of 2026 we must remember Paul Seixas and the return of Van Aert among the winners of the Monument Classics. From the overwhelming dominance of the Slovenian and the Dutchwoman to the consecration of French talent: the 2026 classics had absolute protagonists and a finale that marked a changing of the guard.

There are seasons that are told through a classification and others that remain in the eyes as an image. The 2026 classics leave at least two: Wout van Aert celebrating in the Roubaix velodrome after beating Tadej Pogacar and twenty-year-old Paul Seixas crossing the finish line as winner of the Lombardia, taking it from the Slovenian—absent due to injury—after five consecutive victories.

In between, the almost constant superiority of Pogacar among the men and that of Demi Vollering among the women. And a question that will accompany cycling into the next season: Is Paul Seixas already ready to put the great champions in difficulty, or is he only at the beginning of a special career?

The Slovenian set the tone for the season from the earliest races. At the Milan-San Remo he conquered a victory that had always eluded him, beating Tom Pidcock after a complicated race that also included a crash. Then came his third Tour of Flanders and fourth Liège-Bastogne-Liège: three Monuments, a demonstration of strength and versatility. But in between there is also his fourth victory at Strade Bianche, surpassing Cancellara's record.

Paris-Roubaix, however, remained the only great classic to deny him victory. Not for lack of legs: he arrived at the velodrome alongside Van Aert, but the Belgian beat him in the sprint. The image of Pogacar second, after having long pursued the Roubaix dream, does not diminish his season. Rather, it makes the challenge more interesting: the pavé remains an open account.

If Pogacar dominated the men's calendar, Demi Vollering did the same among the women. The victory at the Tour of Flanders added an important piece to her palmares; at the Liège-Bastogne-Liège she confirmed her superiority in the Ardennes. And the rest of the season broadened the picture further: Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, World Championship title and Continental Championship title in a season that saw her impose herself far beyond the classics. Her strength was not only the ability to win, but the ability to choose the moment to do it. On the Oude Kwaremont at Flanders, as on the slopes of the Redoute at Liège, she transformed selection into a statement: acceleration to defeat every rival.

Paul Seixas is no longer merely a promise to watch. At Strade Bianche he finished second behind Pogacar; at Liège he followed him on the Redoute, forcing the favorite to earn his victory until the final climb. The Frenchman had already shown he could hold his own against the best. At the Lombardia he took a further step: he attacked, went solo and won, becoming the race's youngest ever winner.

The victory at Como is worth more than a trophy. Seixas closed the Monument season by taking Pogacar's place on the top step of the Lombardia and showing a rare quality: he knows how to stay in the race when the pace is set by champions, but he also knows how to transform the opportunity into a decisive attack. At twenty years old, his margin for growth is still enormous. Caution is warranted; attention, now, is too.

Among the most beautiful images of 2026 is Van Aert's victory, which we can define as the most emblematic moment of spring. After injuries and a difficult winter, the Belgian arrived at Roubaix with a condition entirely to be verified. He ended up taking the most anticipated race: he attacked in the Arenberg sector, resisted Pogacar's comeback and beat him in the velodrome sprint.

It was not a victory built on luck. The race was chaotic, with punctures and chases; Van Aert knew how to remain lucid when Roubaix tends to punish every hesitation. For a rider who had long pursued that finish line, the victory had the taste of liberation. And it reminded us that his return was not just a story of resilience: it was the return of a champion to the center of the race.

Impossible not to mention Remco Evenepoel at the end of his first year with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, who confirmed his level without, however, delivering him a Monument Classic. The Belgian expanded his program to the Tour of Flanders and finished third; third also at Liège, fourth at the Lombardia and then second place at the Tour de France, the World Championship time trial title and the Continental Champion jersey. Results of great consistency, but which also tell of the difficulty in transforming presence among the best into a victory when Pogacar and, now, Seixas are in the race.

His season, overall, was rich in progress and success. But the classics highlighted the transition still to be made: it is not enough to be in the group of favorites, you need to find the right answer when the race ignites. At Red Bull, Evenepoel showed he could handle multiple scenarios; the next objective will be to convert them into a triumph in the races that matter most.

The Monument balance sheet returns a cycling dense at the top. Pogacar, Van Aert, Van der Poel, Evenepoel, Pedersen and Seixas occupied much of the stage, while Demi Vollering imposed her signature on the women's calendar. Roubaix also showed how details can change a race: a puncture, an incompatible bicycle, a few lost seconds can decide the fate of a day.

The classics season closes with a certainty and a novelty. The certainty is that Tadej Pogacar and Demi Vollering remain the reference points. The novelty is that the very young Paul Seixas no longer merely chases them. And, after Roubaix, Van Aert proved that even a story postponed for years can find its beautiful ending.