Revamped GP Montreal course gives Pogacar and rivals early World Championships preview

The Canadian WorldTour race, scheduled for September 13, will feature a new urban loop through Avenue du Mont Royal Ouest, Rue Saint Urbain and Avenue des Pins Ouest. The addition increases the total distance from 209.1 kilometres to 214.4 kilometres with 4,304 metres of climbing and brings the route closely in line with the circuit being used at the world championships.

The familiar climbs of Camillien Houde, Polytechnique and Pagnuelo remain in place, preserving the demanding character that has made the Montreal race one of the toughest one day events on the calendar.

The 2025 edition underlined just how decisive the circuit can be. Brandon McNulty led home a dominant UAE Team Emirates-XRG performance, crossing the finish line alongside Tadej Pogačar after the teammates had ridden away from their rivals in the closing laps. Pogačar allowed the American to take the victory, while Quinn Simmons finished third, more than a minute behind the UAE pair.

The revised layout will allow riders to test almost every key part of the World Championships finale under full race conditions. They can assess the climbs, technical sections, crucial positioning points and potential launchpads for attacks before returning to Montreal with their national teams to compete for the rainbow jersey.

Organisers believe the changes could produce a less predictable race than in previous years.

“In Montreal, we have preserved the climbs while offering a circuit more conducive to tactical surprises,” Grand Prix Cyclistes general manager Joseph Limare said.

“This promises more explosive races for the athletes and a greater spectacle for the public.”

The timing makes the event particularly valuable. The world championships begin just one week after the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, with the elite women racing on September 26 and the elite men competing one day later.

Both world championships races will start in Brossard before reaching the 13.4 kilometre Mount Royal circuit, where the decisive laps will take place. The finish will be located on Avenue du Parc.

The elite men’s World Championships road race will cover 273.7 kilometres, compared with 214.4 kilometres for the Grand Prix. The elite women will race over 180.4 kilometres, although there is no women’s Grand Prix de Montréal for direct comparison.

Limare expects the presence of the world championships to have a significant impact on the quality of the field.

“The gravitational pull created by hosting the road worlds means that we will have one of the most competitive editions in our history,” he said.

The Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, scheduled for September 11, has also undergone changes for 2026.

Although the race will be slightly shorter at 206 kilometres, the number of laps has increased from 18 to 20, pushing the total elevation gain to almost 2,780 metres. The Côte de la Montagne and the climbs on Saint Louis and George VI will again play a key role in the finale, maintaining the character of the urban circuit.

Last year’s edition showed how the repeated climbs can create an open and aggressive race. Julian Alaphilippe attacked from a select group on the final ascent and held on to claim a solo victory. Pavel Sivakov finished two seconds behind, with Alberto Bettiol taking third a further two seconds back.