The Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec is a 206 km one-day race run entirely within the city, featuring a relentlessly hilly circuit with a punishing ascent to the finish on the Plains of Abraham. Riders must navigate repeated climbs throughout the day before a finale that rewards explosive puncheurs and all-round climbers over pure sprinters or time-triallists. As a 1.UWT event it draws one of the deepest and most competitive one-day fields of the autumn calendar.
★★★★
Top Favorite
Remco Evenepoel is in a class of his own in this field. His victory at the GP Donostia San Sebastian stage 1 and four top-3 finishes in similar-profile races over the last 90 days confirm he is peaking at exactly the right moment. He holds the highest hills rating in the startlist and his ability to accelerate decisively on short, steep climbs is unmatched here. Barring a tactical surprise, the race is his to lose.
Red Bull - BORA
Red Bull - BORA
Remco Evenepoel is the clear favourite here: he won the GP Donostia San Sebastian stage 1 outright recently and has four top-3 finishes in similar-profile races, underlining elite form on hilly terrain. With the highest hills rating in the field and a proven ability to time his efforts on punchy finishes, he is the man to beat in Québec.
★★★
Strong Contenders
Tom Pidcock and Isaac del Toro form a formidable duo of challengers. Pidcock's recent win at the GP Industria & Artigianato and three further top-3s in comparable races show he is rounding into form at the perfect time. Del Toro's Tour de France stage 2 win and five top-10s in similar terrain confirm he belongs at the very top of the contenders' list, and UAE Emirates will likely coordinate around him with Brandon McNulty in support.
UAE Emirates
UAE Emirates
Isaac del Toro backed up his stage 2 Tour de France win with three top-3 finishes and five top-10s in similar-profile races, the second-best recent record in this field. His climbing pedigree and all-around punch make him a genuine podium contender and one of the riders best-placed to follow any late acceleration.
Pinarello-Q36.5
Pinarello-Q36.5
Tom Pidcock arrives with a recent win at the GP Industria & Artigianato stage 1 and three top-3 results in comparable races, demonstrating he is in sharp form on hilly circuits. One of the most explosive riders in the field, he matches Evenepoel almost point-for-point in hills ability and will be a constant threat in the final kilometres.
★★
Dark Horses
Giulio Ciccone, Louis Barré, and Lennert Van Eetvelt represent the strongest tier of dark horses. Ciccone's consistency in hilly races — two podiums and four top-10s — makes him a reliable threat if the group stays larger than expected. Barré's back-to-back wins in the Deutschland Tour and Tour de Pologne are impossible to ignore, and Van Eetvelt's careful preparation targeting this exact period of the autumn calendar means he could surprise the headliners.
Lidl-Trek
Lidl-Trek
Giulio Ciccone has posted two top-3 finishes and four top-10s in similar-profile races without a win, showing consistent high-level form on hilly terrain. He is among the most complete climber-puncheurs in this startlist and can be dangerous if the race comes down to a reduced group sprint uphill.
Lotto Intermarché
Lotto Intermarché
Lennert Van Eetvelt has a top-3 finish and two top-5s in recent similar-profile races, signalling he is well-suited to this type of punchy finale. He is targeting both the Canadian races and Il Lombardia, suggesting his peak form is being carefully preserved for exactly this period.
Visma - Lease a Bike
Visma - Lease a Bike
Louis Barré is an interesting dark horse after winning stage 2 of the Deutschland Tour and stage 6 of the Tour de Pologne in similar conditions recently. His four top-10s suggest he is in strong current form, and riding for Visma – Lease a Bike gives him excellent team support.
★
Ones to Watch
The one-star tier mixes genuine tactical threats with riders who could profit from a chaotic finale. Mauro Schmid's recent Tour de France stage win proves he can perform at the highest level when the terrain suits. Juan Ayuso's climbing pedigree may be deployed in service of del Toro, but he retains the quality to attack independently. Ben Healy's attacking instincts could make him the race's animator, while Maxim Van Gils adds a dangerous wildcard within a very strong Red Bull–BORA lineup.
EF - EasyPost
EF - EasyPost
Ben Healy is a creative, attacking rider whose hills ability ranks among the very best in this field, and he arrives with genuine motivation heading into a World Championships build-up. He may look to animate the race from a distance, which on a circuit finish like Québec could pay dividends.
Lidl-Trek
Lidl-Trek
Juan Ayuso brings a top-5 result in a recent similar-profile race and very strong climbing ability that outranks his hills rating in the overall picture. He may be used in a supporting role for del Toro at UAE but is not to be underestimated if given freedom to race.
Jayco AlUla
Jayco AlUla
Mauro Schmid took a memorable win on stage 13 of the Tour de France in similar terrain and has two top-3 finishes recently, making him a credible outsider. He is capable of going deep into a breakaway or surviving a reduced-group finish.
Red Bull - BORA
Red Bull - BORA
Maxim Van Gils has a top-5 in similar-profile racing recently and benefits from riding alongside Evenepoel at Red Bull–BORA, giving him the cover of a protected leader while remaining dangerous on his own account. His ability to read race dynamics in a hilly finale makes him a worth-watching outsider.
Verdict
Remco Evenepoel stands out as the clear favourite on the strength of his recent San Sebastian win and commanding hills ability, with Tom Pidcock and Isaac del Toro the most dangerous challengers capable of unseating him on the Québec climbs.