The Cicle Classic is England's answer to the spring classics. Paris-Roubaix is the Hell of the North so perhaps this ought to be known as the Beast in the East.

The race celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, with the 2025 edition taking place on Sunday, April 27. Held in the East Midlands, the race criss-crosses the countryside, taking in rough, rutted farm tracks. If it was created today it would be considered a gravel race. The Tour of Flanders has the Koppenberg, Gent-Wevelgem has the Kemmelberg, Paris-Roubaix has the Arenberg – the Cicle Classic has Somerberg.

Lionel Birnie explores the history and character of the UK's highest-ranked one-day race and hears from the founder Colin Clews who had the idea, Matt Stephens, who was third in the first edition two decades ago, Conor Dunne, who won in 2016 and James McCallum, who was on the podium in arguably the most dramatic and certainly the muddiest edition in 2012.

Twitter @cycling_podcast

Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava