Preview: GP de Québec. Peloton returns to Canada for explosive classic with Van Aert and Pogacar headlining affairs

The 9th of September will see a long-awaited return of the World Tour peloton and racing to Canada, for what is the first of the two Canadian hilly classics: GP de Québec. This one being more sprinter friendly, it should see more tactical racing in the streets of Québec, with several riders within a shot of taking a big win.

The route will feature a total of 204 kilometers, which are divided by 16 laps, each with just under 13 kilometers in distance. There are 2400 meters of climbing in what is an all-day rolling road race, as each lap contains three small hilltops to face.

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The race will be decided in three small hilltops: First little ascent features 300 meters at 8.3% - the Côte de la Montagne - and finished with 3.5 kilometers to go, on the final lap of course. A very short but fast downhill section follows before the second kick up which will be the Côte de la Potasse which is 400 meters long at 6% and finished with just 2 kilometers to go.

The road briefly flattens before the final grind into the line, which will feature 1.1 kilometers at 4%. Not deadly gradients, but some that can see late attacks succeed, can suffocate some sprinters, and will also make a big difference when it comes to the energy the riders will have into a final sprint.

The preliminary startlist features riders such as the following: Benoît Cosnefroy, Soren Kragh Andersen, Romain Bardet, Simon Clarke, Jakob Fuglsang, Hugo Houle, Giacomo Nizzolo, Sep Vanmarcke, Jasper Stuyven, Michael Matthews, Biniam Girmay, Geraint Thomas, Daniel Martínez, Adam Yates, Alberto Bettiol, Ruben Guerreiro, Magnus Cort Nielsen, Neilson Powless, Wout van Aert, Christophe Laporte, Alessandro Covi, Tadej Pogacar, Diego Ulissi, David Gaudu, Guillaume Martin, Alex Aranburu, Warren Barguil, Peter Sagan, Pello Bilbao, Jan Tratnik and Matej Mohoric.

CyclingUpToDate prediction:
**** Wout van Aert
*** Michael Matthews, Biniam Girmay
** Alex Aranburu, Tadej Pogacar, Alberto Bettiol
* Christophe Laporte, Magnus Cort Nielsen, Pello Bilbao, Jasper Stuyven