Our squad is ready for the pair of one-day races taking place on Friday and Sunday.
The only World Tour events held in North America, the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (206km) and Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (214.4km) are scheduled this week, when Soudal Quick-Step will line up at the start with a strong team capable of fighting for a good result on the hilly terrain that usually makes for some really spectacular racing.
For many riders in the peloton, the second of these races will be the most important appointment of the weekend, as it will serve as a test ahead of the World Championships held later in the month in the city where Eddy Merckx won his third rainbow jersey more than five decades ago.
Steff Cras, Casper Pedersen, Andrea Raccagni - who scored an impressive fourth overall at the Deutschland Tour just a few weeks ago - Pepijn Reinderink, Maximilian Schachmann, Ilan Van Wilder and Louis Vervaeke are the seven Soudal Quick-Step riders who will take on the two events.
“The World Tour Canadian races are always spectacular because many scenarios are possible there. You can have a solo winner, a reduced sprint, or a late move that turns into a victory. We go there with a strong and versatile squad and we hope to be in the mix for a good result”, said sports director Davide Bramati ahead of traveling to Canada.
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
