It's time for la Québécoise et la Montréalaise! Although young, they quickly stole the hearts of cycling fans all over the world, in what was UCI's most fruitful attempt to carry the very best of the sport outside the old continent. Cycling's no stranger to Canada, though, and perhaps that's the explanation behind the success of both races. We can go back as far as 1974 to when Merckx won Rainbow and the Triple Crown in front of 150.000 Montrealers. We may not remember, we may have not seen it, but a Québécois does not forget: ''Je me souviens''.
Last year we saw the race in La Vieille Capitale return to its original route after having been changed the year before due to roadworks, what caused it to lose much of its total elevation and, consequently, a rather dull race where attackers stood little chance. That said, the Grand Prix of Quebec is usually won in the final kilometers, be it on the Montée de la Fabrique or the hellish drag up the Grand Allée. The difference betwen one parcours and the other was also the difference between certain riders being in contention or not, come the end. In Simon Gerrans' defence, he won rather convincingly on the 'hard route', in 2012, and would have been there to fight it out two years ago regardless. It's always been more of a race for the fast guys than Montréal, where, if decent climbers race it properly, others will have a tough time. Unless you're Peter Sagan...
...Or Tim Wellens under heavy rain, snow, sub-zero temperatures.... Okay, okay, not sub-zero temperatures, and Wellens is indeed a good climber, but his win last year was amazing any way you look at it.
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Québec: 202kms - Côte de la Montagne, 375m @ 10%; Côte de la Potasse, 420m @ 9%; Montée de la Fabrique, 190m @ 7%; Montée du Fort - Grand Alée (finish), 1km @ 4%.
Montréal: 206kms - Côte de Camillien-Houde, 1,8km @ 8%; Côte de la Polytechnique, 780m @ 6%; Avenue du Parc (finish), 560m @ 4%.
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