The idea of moving the Paris-Roubaix and Tour de Flanders from their traditional early April dates would once have been considered blasphemous. But the "Hell of the North," held in October 2021 and a huge success, could be repeated in the future, UCI President David Lapartient told Wielerlfits.nl (opens in new tab) in an interview.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Paris-Roubaix will not be held in 2020, and other races in Europe were packed into the second half of the year after months of blockades. Last season Paris-Roubaix was moved to the first weekend in October, and the rainy fall weather turned what had been a dry, fast race for decades into an epic mud-fest won by Sonny Colbrelli.

"Paris-Roubaix was always the second Sunday in April. But last spring, due to the [coronavirus] situation in the north of France, the competition was banned by the local authorities. The move to October 3 has not made the race any less attractive," said La Partiente.

"On the contrary, this year's event was one of the most heroic in the history of the 'L'Enfer du Nord'. I spoke with the organizers, the ASO, about this. They said that changing the date of Paris-Roubaix was unthinkable before. Now they feel quite differently. More possibilities will arise in the future."

The Tour of Flanders was also held in mid-October in 2020. Although it overlapped with the Giro d'Italia, it was equally successful, with Mathieu Van der Pol (Alpecin Phoenix) outsprinting Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma). Last year, the event returned to its normal April schedule.

Sandwiched between March and April, and with the calendar filled with stage races, the top Grand Tour riders targeting Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Volta a Catalunya, and Iturria Basque rarely race the Classics. Tadey Pogacar's (UAE Team Emirates) participation in the Tour de Flanders this season was considered unusual for a Tour de France winner.

The overcrowded World Tour calendar and multiple overlapping races have been a problem since the series began as a ProTour in 2005. The goal of the series was to have the top riders and teams compete in the same events throughout the season. However, Paris-Nice still overlaps with Tirreno-Adriatico.

La Partiente, who recently met with race organizers to discuss calendar reform, wants to limit overlapping races on the World Tour. Moving the Classics to the end of the year would make room for other events.

"We end the season with the Tour de Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. It was unthinkable in the past. By holding these two, perhaps the two biggest monuments, at the end of the year, the possibilities for the calendar would expand.

According to La Partiente, the UCI has awarded licenses for World Tour events through 2025, but dates have not yet been finalized and the calendar is "open for discussion."

"Most organizers understand that changing dates can also offer possibilities and opportunities.

"We have been planning our calendar this way for many years and previously stuck to certain dates. It remains to be seen how we will implement our reforms. However, all parties in cycling have indicated to us that they are open to considering changes."

One thing that will not change, however, is the Grand Tour's place on the calendar.

"The Grand Tour may be postponed for a week or two, but it will remain broadly the same. The Tour de France will be held in July. The Giro d'Italia will be held before the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España will be held after the Tour.

"We do not intend to change the calendar framework regarding the Grand Tour. We cannot open the season with a Grand Tour, nor can we close the season with a Grand Tour at the end of October, due to the weather conditions in the high mountains."

The response to La Partiente's proposal came quickly from Patrick Lefebvre, Quick-Step Alphavinir's team manager.

"Everyone knows I am an old-fashioned guy. Covid's two seasons may have been a bit special, but if he is going to change things, La Partiente will have to cut the calendar first," said the veteran Belgian team manager.

"There are so many races in August, September, and the beginning of October. It is almost impossible to run all of them. Everyone knows that the season starts more or less in January: from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to Liège-Bastogne-Liège is the first part, then everyone goes to the Tour de France.

"I'm just happy that both races are back in the spring," Lefebvre said, citing tradition and routine.

"We are used to this. Everyone plans a high-altitude training course, and every team has calculated for years how best to condition their riders for a particular period of time. To do this, sacrifices have to be made."

"Once the classic period is over, I think the entire peloton will be glad to have no pressure for a while. Mentally, the rest will be welcome. I think everyone will be happy that these two monuments will be back in the spring."