A new French one-day race in the Hauts-de-France region
Classique Dunkerque
A new addition to the French calendar, this northern one-day race offers fast finishers a chance to claim their place in its early history.
Next edition May 18, 2027
- Location
- 🇫🇷 France
- When
- Third Tuesday in May
- Course
- One Day
- Most recent winner
- 🇺🇸 Artem Shmidt (2026)
- Category
- Men’s 1.Pro
About Classique Dunkerque
Classique Dunkerque is a men's one-day bike race held in northern France each May. It takes place in the Hauts-de-France region and carries ProSeries status on the international calendar. The flat and exposed roads near the coast reward sprinters and positioning specialists who can handle northern weather.
A recent addition to the French calendar, the race enters the ProSeries as a northern one-day opportunity in a region with deep cycling roots.
New races arrive with something to prove, and this one enters the calendar in a region with deep cycling roots and unpredictable spring weather. The inaugural edition went to a sprint, but the race is still writing its own identity. Early winners will shape how it's remembered, and the northern French roads offer enough variety to keep the outcome uncertain until the final kilometers.
Classique Dunkerque winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 🇺🇸Artem Shmidt |
| 2025 | 🇩🇪Pascal Ackermann |
2027 edition
May 18, 2027.
Classique Dunkerque route
The race runs through the Hauts-de-France region, where flat stretches and exposed roads can splinter the field if wind arrives. The inaugural edition favored positioning over pure power, with teams controlling the pace into a sprint finish. Whether that pattern holds depends on how aggressively teams race the middle kilometers and whether the route includes enough late difficulty to shed pure sprinters. Expect positioning battles in the final 20 kilometers as teams try to set up their finishers or force a late selection. The finish in Dunkerque sits near the coast, where crosswinds can turn a controlled race into something harder to manage.
What shapes the race
Northern French flats
The race runs through the flat terrain around Dunkerque on the North Sea coast, where wind exposure can split the field.
Sprint destination
A flat finish that suits pure sprinters when the field arrives together. Wind is the main variable that can disrupt a bunch sprint.
Signature landmarks
- Host city
Dunkerque
The northern French port city on the North Sea. The coastal setting and flat terrain define the race as a wind-exposed sprint test.
History
Eras and records
A brand new French sprint race on the North Sea coast, connected to the tradition of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque.
First edition
Launched in 2025, organized by the same entity as the 4 Jours de Dunkerque. One of the newest races on the French calendar.