Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal 2015: Favourites

The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal is the last serious test before the World Championships in Richmond. Title-holder Simon Gerrans is absent, as he is racing the Vuelta. Who are the major contenders in the second of the Laurentian Classics? Last Friday the first one was won by Rigoberto Uran. (Slideshow route/profile)

The race is held on a 12.1 kilometres circuit that is to be run seventeen times, so the climbs in the route are to be tackled seventeen times also, making Montréal a kind of Ardennes classic. The uphill sections are Côte Camillien-Houde (1.8 kilometre at 8%), Côte de la Polytechnique (780 metres at 6%) and the last 560 metres to the finish-line go up at a 4% grade. Tim Wellens won the Ardennes stage in the recent Eneco Tour, so he will be eyeing up a win in Canada. But he is definitely not the only one. The race suits riders like Greg Van Avermaet, Rui Costa, Adam Yates, Philippe Gilbert, Michal Kwiatkowski and Tony Gallopin

*** Tim Wellens, Greg Van Avermaet, Tony Gallopin, Rui Costa
** Ramunas Navardauskas, Michael Matthews, Michal Kwiatkowski, Philippe Gilbert
* Romain Bardet, Adam Yates, Jan Bakelants, Tom-Jelte Slagter