The GP de Québec is the first of the two Canadian World Tour classics that take place over the course of the second weekend of September. On the 11th of September, the explosive one-day race will give way to the sprinters and classics specialists to battle for an important victory. We take a look at its profile.
The race was first held in 2010, together with its 'sibling' the GP de Montréal. Right from the start it was a high-level event, with Thomas Voeckler taking the first victory, before Philippe Gilbert won it in 2011 in what was his golden year. Over the course of the decade it were mostly puncheurs who won it, with the particular note that both Peter Sagan and Michael Matthews won it two consecutive times in its final years.
In 2022, following the Covid-19 shutdown, it was Benoît Cosnefroy who triumphed in Québec. Arnaud de Lie won it 2023, Michael Matthews rolled back the years to win it once again in 2024; and in 2025 the newly-altered circuit led to a more open race, won by Julian Alaphilippe who had there his final career victory.
Profile: Québec - Québec
Québec - Québec, 205 kilometers
The GP de Québec covers 205 kilometers, split across 18 laps of just under 12.5 km each, totaling around 2,500 meters of climbing. It’s a rolling race, with each lap including an ascent, though this year brings a significant change in the finale.
The opening half of the circuit takes riders on a descent from downtown Québec toward the river, covering the first five kilometers. The following four are flatter, offering teams a chance to reorganize and position their leaders ahead of the decisive climbs.
The finish is notably tougher than in recent years. Instead of the familiar double kicker separated by a downhill, the peloton now faces the Côte de la Montagne before a direct drag to the line. At 600 meters at 8%—with ramps maxing out at 17%—this is a savage, explosive climb tailor-made for punchers and climbers, not sprinters. From the summit, just 1.2 km of false flat remains to the line. It’s a finale that invites late attacks and saps the legs of the fast men.
List of winners GP de Québec
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| 2025 | Julian Alaphilippe | Pavel Sivakov | Alberto Bettiol |
| 2024 | Michael Matthews | Biniam Girmay | Rudy Molard |
| 2023 | Arnaud De Lie | Corbin Strong | Michael Matthews |
| 2022 | Benoît Cosnefroy | Michael Matthews | Biniam Girmay |
| 2021 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — |
| 2019 | Michael Matthews | Peter Sagan | Greg Van Avermaet |
| 2018 | Michael Matthews | Greg Van Avermaet | Jasper Stuyven |
| 2017 | Peter Sagan | Greg Van Avermaet | Michael Matthews |
| 2016 | Peter Sagan | Greg Van Avermaet | Anthony Roux |
| 2015 | Rigoberto Urán | Michael Matthews | Alexander Kristoff |
| 2014 | Simon Gerrans | Tom Dumoulin | Ramūnas Navardauskas |
| 2013 | Robert Gesink | Arthur Vichot | Greg Van Avermaet |
| 2012 | Simon Gerrans | Greg Van Avermaet | Rui Costa |
| 2011 | Philippe Gilbert | Robert Gesink | Rigoberto Urán |
| 2010 | Thomas Voeckler | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Robert Gesink |
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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