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.

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The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

S13 Ep31: KM0: The Beast In The East