Pogacar returns to the scene in Canada: favorites, schedules, route, and how to watch

The classic Canadian races that will take place this weekend, on Friday, September 12 in Quebec and on Sunday, September 14 in Montreal, have a special significance in 2025 despite coinciding with the Vuelta a España. First, because of the reappearance of Tadej Pogacar, winner of Montreal last year after the mental exhaustion he experienced at the end of the Tour de France, these races will be some of the last test runs before heading to the World Championships in Rwanda. Speaking in terms of the World Championships, the announcement that the 2026 Montreal World Championships will take place on a course practically identical to the classic race adds a special interest to the event as a simulation of what we can expect to see in just over a year.

Favorites for GP Quebec and GP Montreal

With almost identical participation in both races, as has been customary in recent years, the Canadian races bring together the best of the peloton, especially in a year when the Vuelta did not have its strongest lineup.

Obviously, as in any race he enters, the role of top favorite can only fall on one cyclist: Tadej Pogacar. It might be thought that his return to competition after not wearing a race number since the Tour de France could be a disadvantage, but the fact is that last year, following the same break after the Grande Boucle, the Slovenian arrived in Canada and finished seventh in the GP Quebec despite it being a mass sprint finish, unlike GP Montreal where he showed his dominance to win solo.

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The less demanding course of the GP Quebec opens the door to victory for a different type of cyclist, and there Biniam Girmay could steal the show, second last year, and who knows if a Wout van Aert who is already ending his season will want to bid farewell in style by trying to achieve a similar success to the one he had in the last stage of the Tour a few months ago.

Montreal is clearly more demanding and allows for different types of moves. There, beyond what the Slovenian can do, cyclists like Oscar Onley, Florian Lipowitz, Simon Yates, or Neilson Powless will try to time their attack perfectly to avoid surveillance and claim victory.

We also have to consider riders like Quinn Simmons or Matthias Skjelmose, and why not, Julian Alaphilippe, who this season has shown great determination and has been just a step away from achieving a major victory this year. We will see if during the summer he has found that extra edge that could allow him to surprise in Canada.

Routes for GP Quebec and GP Montreal

Contrary to what we are used to, the two Canadian classics are held on circuits that, in the case of Montreal, will be the same as the one that will be used for the World Championships in this city next year, with the addition of an initial road section.

The GP Quebec will take place on a 218-kilometer route that involves completing 18 laps of the 12-kilometer circuit, accumulating 2,610 meters of elevation gain, making it practically flat. The only difficulties the cyclists will face are the climbs at the end of each lap, the Cote de la Montagne, a 600-meter climb at 9%, followed almost immediately by Montée rue Saint-Louis, a 1-kilometer stretch at 3%. These challenges are often insufficient to prevent a sprint finish.

On the other hand, the GP Montreal is more demanding, and while not extremely difficult, its profile is in line with what is typical in world championship events, which is why it will be used for next year's event.

The Montreal race covers 209 kilometers, which means 17 laps of a 12.3-kilometer circuit with a total elevation gain of 4,573 meters. This elevation is accumulated in the Voie Camillien-Houde, which starts each lap with an almost two-kilometer climb at 8%. The cyclists will have to tackle a couple more climbs during laps that conclude, towards the finish line, with Avenue de Parc, a 560-meter stretch at just 4%, which proved to be enough for Tadej Pogacar to break away from the pack last year.

How to Watch GP Quebec and GP Montreal

As usual, Eurosport and the HBO Max platform will be responsible for broadcasting the Canadian races live.

The GP Quebec, taking place on Friday, September 12, will be broadcast in its entirety from 16:50 until approximately 22:35, Spanish time, when it is expected to finish. The complete broadcast can be watched on HBO Max since Eurosport 2 will not start coverage until the end of the stage of La Vuelta, around 18:00.

On the other hand, the GP Montreal, taking place on Sunday, September 14, has a more complicated broadcast schedule due to the late hour at which the last stage of La Vuelta usually ends. In any case, it can be watched in full on HBO Max from 16:00 until approximately 22:15, with Eurosport 1 connecting around 20:30, at the end of La Vuelta.