The preparation for the world championships enter its final phase, and the riders that are not racing the Vuelta, can't find a better place to fine-tune their conditions than Canada. During their 4 years of existence, the hilly circuits in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec and Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal have developed into the perfect worlds warm-up and has attracted a host of climbers and classics specialists. Starting at 18.30 CEST you can follow the race in Montreal on CyclingQuotes.com/live.
It's hard to find a world championships contender that isn't riding/has been riding in the Vuelta or has crossed the Atlantic to battle it out on the Canadian roads, and that has made the Canadians put together a fabulous line-up. Tour winner Chris Froome uses the races as his final preparation for the worlds and major favourite Peter Sagan has similar plans. If you add riders like Richie Porte, Ryder Hesjedal, Andrew Talansky, Alberto Contador, Rui Costa, Simon Spilak, Alexandr Kolobnev, Sylvain Chavanel, Michal Kwiatkowski, Enrico Gasparotto, Andy Schhleck, Jan Bakelants, Robert Gesink, Steven Srijkswijk, Christophe Riblon, Romain Bardet, Cadel Evans, Greg Van Avermaet, Tejan van Garderen, Michael Albasini, Damiano Cunego, Filippo Pozzato, John Degenkolb, Jurgen Roelandts and Bjorn Leukemans, you have the outline of a star-studded field.
Today's race is the hardest of the two and include two hard climbs which will each be tackled 17 times. In its first three editions, the event has been a selective one in which the lack of domestiques after the last passage of the hardest climb has created an uncontrollable race, and so far none of the fast finishers have managed to keep things together for a sprint from the small group that is usually created on the final lap. A winners list consisting of Robert Gesink, Rui Costa and Lard Petter Nordhaug is testament to the toughness of the course, and it will be a tough ask for favourite Peter Sagan and his Cannondale team to keep things together and so offer the Slovakian a chance to get his revenge for Friday's disappointment.
Starting at 18.30 CEST you can follow the race here. You can read our race preview here.
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