Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal 2026: Full Race Preview
Every September, Montréal’s streets and Mount Royal become the setting for one of North America’s toughest one-day cycling races.
The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal is part of the UCI WorldTour and is known for its repeated climbs, technical sections and demanding circuit, making it a race that rewards both climbing ability and tactical intelligence.
The 2026 edition carries even greater significance. With the UCI Road World Championships taking place in Montréal later in September, the Grand Prix offers many of the world’s leading riders an opportunity to test themselves on terrain closely related to the championship course.
Here’s everything you need to know, including when the race takes place, how the course has changed, who is expected to ride and the contenders most likely to challenge for victory.
When Is The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal 2026?
The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal 2026 will take place on Sunday 13 September 2026. The official race schedule lists a 10:15 a.m. local start, with team presentation taking place from 9:05 to 10:05 a.m. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.
The race is part of the traditional Québec–Montréal WorldTour double-header, with the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec taking place on Friday 11 September before the peloton heads to Montréal two days later. The 2026 races are particularly important because the UCI Road World Championships will follow in Montréal from 20 to 27 September.
For spectators, the official Fans’ Village will be located at Parc Jeanne-Mance and is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on race day. Admission to the public viewing areas along the route is generally free, while hospitality areas require separate access.
Where Does The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal Take Place?
The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal takes place on a closed urban circuit centred on Mount Royal and surrounding Montréal streets. For 2026, organisers have introduced a revised 13.4-kilometre circuit that will be completed 16 times.
The changes make the course approximately 1.1 kilometres longer per lap than the 2025 version and bring it closer in character to the circuit that will feature prominently at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships.
The main difficulties remain the climbs around Mount Royal. The Voie Camillien-Houde is the most substantial ascent, measuring approximately 1.8 kilometres at an average gradient of 8% on the 2026 race circuit.
Riders will then face the Chemin de Polytechnique, which includes sections steeper than 11%, followed by further climbs including Avenue Pagnuelo and the uphill approach towards Avenue du Parc.
The 2026 route also introduces a new passage on Rue Saint-Urbain on the eastern side of Parc Jeanne-Mance. The final approach on Avenue du Parc has been altered as well, replacing the previous tight 180-degree turn with two 90-degree corners before the uphill run to the finish.
That combination of repeated climbing, corners and positioning makes the race particularly demanding. Spectators can watch from numerous points around the circuit, while the official Fans’ Village and activities around the Camillien-Houde lookout add to the race-day atmosphere.
How Long Is The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal?
The 2026 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal will cover approximately 214.4 kilometres, with the 13.4-kilometre circuit completed 16 times. That represents a significant change from 2025, when the race covered 209.1 kilometres over 17 laps of a 12.3-kilometre circuit.
The climbing is a major part of the challenge. Each 2026 lap contains roughly 269 metres of elevation gain, meaning the race accumulates more than 4,300 metres of climbing across the full distance.
The repeated nature of those ascents is crucial: rather than one decisive mountain, riders must repeatedly accelerate over climbs before recovering and positioning themselves for the next one.
Who Is Riding In The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal?
The 2026 field is one of the strongest in the race’s history. The organisers have announced a world-class lineup featuring riders including Remco Evenepoel, Isaac Del Toro, Paul Seixas, Tom Pidcock, Michael Matthews, Brandon McNulty and Matteo Jorgenson. Mathieu van der Poel is also among the headline riders listed by the organisers.
The overall GPCQM field consists of 154 riders from 22 teams, including the leading WorldTeams as well as four invited teams: Tudor Pro Cycling Team, Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, Modern Adventure Pro Cycling and Canada’s national team.
Brandon McNulty returns as defending Montréal champion after winning the 2025 edition ahead of teammate Tadej Pogačar. McNulty will again have strong UAE Team Emirates-XRG support, with Isaac Del Toro taking on a major leadership role in the absence of Pogačar.
Canada will also have home representation, with riders including Michael Woods, Guillaume Boivin, Pier-André Côté, Jérôme Gauthier and Derek Gee-West among those expected to feature across the Québec and Montréal races.
Who Is Favourite To Win The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal?
With Tadej Pogačar absent because of injury, the 2026 race has a much more open outlook than recent editions. Pogačar won Montréal in 2022 and 2024 and finished second in 2025, but he will not defend his position this year.
Remco Evenepoel is one of the leading contenders. The Belgian is particularly well suited to the Montréal course because of his climbing ability, acceleration and capacity to make long solo moves. He also finished second to Pogačar at the 2025 Tour de France and is using the Canadian races as part of his preparation for the World Championships.
Isaac Del Toro is another major threat. The 22-year-old Mexican has enjoyed an outstanding 2026 season, including victories at the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and the Tour of Germany. He also finished third at the 2026 Tour de France and will lead UAE Team Emirates-XRG in the absence of Pogačar.
Paul Seixas is another rider to watch closely. The young Frenchman finished fourth on his Tour de France debut and has already established himself as one of the sport’s most exciting climbing talents. The demanding Montréal course should suit his ability to handle repeated climbs and long, hard efforts.
Tom Pidcock, Matteo Jorgenson, Brandon McNulty, Michael Matthews and other strong climbers and classics riders add further depth to the favourites. The revised circuit and increased climbing make it difficult to identify a guaranteed winner, but the race appears particularly well suited to riders who can combine endurance with explosive attacks on the final laps.
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