Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec 2015: Favourites

Edition 6 of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec is set to be a thrilling race suiting both climbers and classics specialists. Dutch mountain goat Robert Gesink won the race in 2013, while Simon Gerrans is the current title-holder. Cyclingstage.com brings you the major contenders for the 2015 version of the first of the Laurentian Classics. (Slideshow route/profile)

The race is held on a circuit, which means the riders have to tackle the three climbs sixteen times. So they may be short, in the finale they will hurt as hell. We are talking Côte de la Montagne (375 metres at 10%), Côte de la Potasse (420 metres at 9%), Montée de la Fabrique (190 metres at 7%), while the arrival rises at a 4% gradient for 1 kilometre.

The circuit suits both climbers (both Gesink and Voeckler won an edition) and classics specialist (Gerrans is a two times successor, Gilbert was best in 2011) and that’s something making Quebec a really interesting race. Expect the likes of Greg Van Avermaet, Michal Kwiatkowski, Tony Gallopin, Adam Yates, Julian Alaphilippe and Rui Costa to be in the front-line.

Title-holder Simon Gerrans is racing the Vuelta, so he will not complete.

*** Greg Van Avermaet, Michal Kwiatkowski, Rui Costa
** Tony Gallopin, Adam Yates, Ramunas Navardauskas, Lars Petter Nordhaug
* Robert Gesink, Ryder Hesjedal, Philippe Gilbert, Julian Alaphilippe