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Tom Pidcock will line up against Tadej Pogačar at the Grands Prix Cyclistes des Québec and Montréal as he builds towards the road World Championships in Switzerland later this month.
Ineos Grenadiers’ Pidcock heads across the Atlantic after completing the Tour of Britain Men which wrapped up in Felixstowe on Sunday, won by Israel-Premier Tech’s Stevie Williams.
After finishing fourth on stage one, and sixth on stage three before retiring from the race on stage six, the double Olympic mountain bike champion will be looking to keep his form going in North America. The GP Québec takes place on 13 September with the GP Montréal following two days later.
In Canada, Pidcock will be up against multiple high profile names, including UAE Team Emirates’ Pogačar and Biniam Girmay of Intermarché-Wanty, the yellow and green jersey winners from the Tour de France. Jayco-AIUla’s Simon Yates and Michael Matthews were also named on the start list, along with Visma-Lease a Bike’s Matteo Jorgenson.
Other big names confirmed to take part include Alberto Bettiol, who recently completed a mid-season move to Astana Qazaqstan, Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step), and other French stars including Benoît Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Valentin Madouas of Groupama FDJ.
Israel-Premier Tech’s Derek Gee and Hugo Houle are two of a handful of Canadian riders who will be racing on home ground.
The road World Championships have returned to their usual late-September slot in the calendar, meaning the Canadian races are very important.
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Montréal and Québec will be the final opportunity for the likes of Pogačar to test his form as he gets set to head to Zurich ready to challenge for the rainbow jersey. The Slovenian completed the Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double this year, the first rider to do so since Marco Pantani in 1998, and will be a hot favourite for victory in Montréal after his win in 2022.
“Since the creation of the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal, we have worked tirelessly to establish races that stand out on the world stage for their high standards, professionalism, and the warm welcome from the Québec public,” Joseph Limare, general manager of the two Canadian races, said in a press release.
“Every year, we have the privilege of welcoming the biggest names in cycling. This year, the presence of riders like Tadej Pogačar and Biniam Girmay is clear proof of that. The quality of this year’s field is a recognition of our constant commitment to offer exceptional events, with a large enthusiastic audience.”
The World Championships are set to return to Montréal in 2026 after they were last held in the Canadian city in 1974 when Eddy Merckx claimed the rainbow bands. Limare said that his ambition was to see both of the Canadian races continue to grow in the years ahead after they became part of the WorldTour in 2010.
“As we move towards the 2026 UCI Road World Championships, in Montréal, our ambition is to continue to elevate these races to new heights, to the delight of cycling fans around the world,” he explained.
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