Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal 2018: Favourites

The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal is played out on a route with 4,528 vertical metres, so the circuit race is tailor made for hilly specialists. Usually the contest comes down to a sprint of a select group. Who are the major contenders to win the 2018 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal? (Slideshow route/profile)

The course of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal is a hilly circuit of 12.2 kilometres, which is ridden sixteen times. Each lap features 283 vertical metres, so the route amounts to 4,528 vertical metres. Three climbs stand out. Firstly, the Côte Camillien-Houde is a 1.8 kilometre hill at 8% with its top 10.1 kilometres before the line. Secondly, the Côte de la Polytechnique climbs for 780 metres at 6% and it is crested 5.7 kilometres before the line. The last one is a new one, the climb at the Avenue Claude-Champagne is 800 metres and 4%. At the top it is only 2.9 kilometres to the finish.

Arguably, the most tricky section in terms of the win are the last 560 metres though. After almost coming to a standstill in a U-turn this section slopes at 4% to the line.

Last year, Jan Bakelants initiated the first decisive move on descent of the Côte Camillien-Houde in the penultimate lap. A group of fourteen riders bridged across before Mollema accelerated on the last climb up the Côte Camillien-Houde. Tom-Jelte Slagter, Diego Ulissi, Jésus Herrada, Tony Gallopin and Jan Bakelants trailed the Dutchman. Ulissi won the uphill sprint ahead of Herrada and Slagter.

Other winners of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal are Greg Van Avermaet (2016), Tim Wellens (2015), Simon Gerrans (2014), Peter Sagan (2013), Lars Petter Nordhaug (2012), Rui Costa (2011), and Robert Gesink (2010).

Favourites Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal 2018

*** Michael Matthews, Diego Ulissi, Tim Wellens, Matej Mohoric
** Tom-Jelte Slagter, Greg Van Avermaet, Jasper Stuyven, Enrico Battaglin
* Søren Kragh Andersen, Michael Valgren, Patrick Konrad