Preview GP Quebec 2023 | Rain makes one of the most interesting races even harder to predict!

You might almost forget, but amid all the Vuelta buzz, the WorldTour is also swiftly taking place on Canadian soil. Last year, these were significant preparation races for the World Championships; this season, they are more goals in themselves: IDLProCycling.com looks ahead to the first of the two, the GP Quebec!

Last year, the organization of the Canadian races had two absolute stars at the start with Tadej Pogacar and Wout van Aert, who were also preparing for the World Championships in Australia. However, both men did not finish on the podium, where spots were reserved for winner Benoit Cosnefroy and power sprinters Michael Matthews and Biniam Girmay.

This event typically attracts a specific breed of cyclists: punchers and robust sprinters are common, yet occasionally a grand tour contender joins the fray. Past victors in Quebec's scenic setting include Robert Gesink in 2013 and Rigoberto Urán in 2015, although some years have seen the likes of Matthews and Peter Sagan stealing the spotlight. Other versatile riders, such as Cosnefroy and Simon Gerrans, often make their way into the mix as well. A similar diverse lineup is anticipated for the 2023 edition.

Practical information GP Quebec 2023

• Friday, September 9, 2022
• Classification: WorldTour
  

In this article

• Most recent winners
• Course, weather and times
• Favorites
• TV information

Most recent winners GP Quebec

2022 Benoit Cosnefroy
2021 Not ridden
2020 Not ridden
2019 Michael Matthews
2018 Michael Matthews
2017 Peter Sagan
2016 Peter Sagan
2015 Rigoberto Urán
2014 Simon Gerrans
2013 Robert Gesink

GP Quebec 2023: Course, weather and times

The Canadian race is a total of 201.6 kilometers long, consisting of a city circuit that must be conquered 16 times. That lap is 12.6 kilometers long and includes 186 altitude meters, making the total altitude for the race 2976 meters. It is the exact same course that the riders have faced in recent years in this WorldTour race.

The start and finish will take place on the Grande Allée, but the bulk of the race is conducted around the Parc des Champs-de-Bataille. The difficulty mainly lies in the second part of the lap, with obstacles like the Coté de la Montagne (375 meters at 10 percent gradient), Côte de la Polasse (420 meters at 9 percent), and Montée de la Fabrique (190 meters at 7 percent). In this twisty phase, you can quickly get out of sight with a potential attack.

However, the riders should be careful not to expend all their energy there, as the final kilometer itself is also challenging. It has an average gradient of four percent, which is ideal for the power sprinters present in Northeast Canada.

Weather
The weather is reasonably suitable for racing in Canada. The riders will experience temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius, which are pretty pleasant conditions. Scattered rain is expected throughout the day, adding a potential extra element to the race.

Times
Start: 11 a.m. local time (4 p.m. London time)
Finish: 4 p.m. local time (9 p.m. London time)

Favorites GP Quebec 2023

The list of participants is not yet complete, so changes can still be made.

For makers of previews, races like the GP Quebec are the trickiest to predict. Why? Because it can go in so many different directions near the beautiful Chateau Frontenac, where the riders truly shape the race. These are World Championships-like circuits on the other side of the Atlantic, always providing spectacle, and that's why they're so fun to watch!

On the charter flights provided by the organization from Paris, there were many interesting riders from Belgium. For example, Arnaud De Lie from Lotto-Dstny, who can assert his European Championship ambitions for Drenthe with a good result here. With riders like Pascal Eenkhoorn, Florian Vermeersch, and Maxim Van Gils, De Lie already has some men to help him on his mission.

However, there are other men who can also compete in a fast finish. Christophe Laporte was here on behalf of Jumbo-Visma last year as the last man for Wout van Aert but now gets to seek his own chances along with the more attacking Tiesj Benoot. The Frenchman in Dutch service suffered from heat stroke in Brittany on Sunday, but that doesn't seem to be an issue with the predicted rain in Canada.

Michael Matthews, representing Jayco AlUla, is also back. The Aussie sees Canadian races as one of his favorites, and his record in Quebec since 2015 speaks for itself: 2-5-3-1-1-2. It's no surprise that even Simon Yates is likely to sacrifice himself for Matthews, who will face off against men who shared the podium with him last season: Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), although they are currently not in the best form.

There are also other strong teams lurking on the horizon. UAE-Team Emirates is fielding rain specialist and Renewi Tour winner Tim Wellens, as well as Marc Hirschi, Adam Yates and Brandon McNulty. INEOS Grenadiers, that other multi-million dollar team, is competing again with Pavel Sivakov, Ethan Hayter, and Michal Kwiatkowski. Bahrain Victorious has Matej Mohoric and Pello Bilbao, both excellent on this bumpy, technical, and fast course, making them definite favorites.

Well, who are left? What about Soudal Quick-Step with Deutschland Tour winner Ilan Van Wilder, Mauro Schmid, two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe and Mauri Vansevenant? Or Movistar with Jumbo-Visma acquisition Matteo Jorgenson and the fast Alex Aranburu? Bretagne Classic winner Valentin Madouas from Groupama-FDJ and his compatriot Victor Lafay from Cofidis? Or the duos Magnus Cort/Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost, which also brings along Albertio Bettiol) and Michael Woods/Corbin Strong (Israel Premier-Tech)? And what about a grand tour rider like Jai Hindley from BORA-hansgrohe? Plenty of questions, the answers will follow on Friday!

Favorites stage GP Quebec 2023, according to IDLProCycling.com

Top favorites: Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) and Tim Wellens (UAE-Team Emirates)
Outsiders: Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ)
Longshots: Michal Kwiatkowski (INEOS Grenadiers), Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma), Brandon McNulty (UAE-Team Emirates), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën), Alex Aranburu (Movistar) and Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step)

TV GP Quebec 2023

If you want to enjoy watching the GP Quebec on Friday evening, you should tune in to Eurosport/Discovery+/GCN+. Online, they will start broadcasting from 4:00 p.m. London time, while Eurosport 2 will join in as a TV channel from 7:00 p.m.