After 216 kilometres, Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor) celebrated his first win of the season at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec. Two seconds later, second place went to Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) ahead of Alberto Bettiol (XDS Astana Team) in the undulating finale.

The race in Quebec is run like a criterium on a twelve-kilometre circuit that leads through the green spaces of the city and is ridden a total of 18 times. The terrain is undulating - after all, a total of over 2600 metres in altitude are covered. The last part of the circuit includes two short, crisp climbs: first the Cote de la Montagne with gradients of up to 13 per cent, followed by the Montee Rue Saint-Louis and Avenue Georges VI to the finish.

First victory for Alaphilippe since the Giro 2024

"I can't really believe it yet. To have won in this way is simply fantastic," said Alaphilippe in the winner's interview. However, the Frenchman had previously incurred some displeasure from other riders as he did not take part in the lead group for a long time. Alaphilippe only appeared at the front on the final lap. However, this strategy was ultimately successful. It was Alaphilippe's first victory in over a year; he last won a stage at the Giro d'Italia 2024.

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) also attacked in the final stage. It was the Slovenian's first race since his victory at the Tour de France in July. However, his attack fizzled out and the Slovenian was unable to close the gap to the leading group around Alaphilippe. In the end, he finished in a third group 26 seconds behind. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) did not play a role in the race.

The result of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec 2025

How the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec 2025 went

Shortly after the start, the escape group of the day was formed by Filip Maciejuk (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe), Luca Vergallito (Alpecin - Deceuninck) and the two Canadians Philippe Jacob and Felix Bouchard, who were at the start for the Canadian national team. The quartet built up a total lead of around 6:30 minutes.

The race really got going seven laps before the finish. Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) attacked from the peloton and formed a chasing group around Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin - Deceuninck), Bastien Tronchon (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) and Julien Alaphilippe (Tudor) with 68 kilometres to go.

Nils Politt is active in the leading group

Behind them, another group formed, which caught up with the chasing group around Politt 44 kilometres before the finish - including riders like Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious), Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl -Trek), Alberto Bettiol and Anthon Charmig (XDS Astana Team), Quinten Hermanns (Alpecin - Deceuninck), Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Artem Shmidt (Ineos Grenadiers).

Shortly afterwards, Politt and Pithie had to let go at the front. The remaining twelve riders in the group reached the last two breakaway riders Maciejuk and Vergallito 34 kilometres before the finish, meaning that Alpecin - Deceuninck were represented by three riders in this group. At this point, the already thinned-out peloton was around 1:30 minutes behind the leading group. There, Jayco - AlUla and EF Education - EasyPost were mainly responsible for the pace work.

Pogacar attacks - but can't find a suitable group

On the penultimate crossing of the Cote de la Montagne, the expected attack came from Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG), initiated by team-mate Tim Wellens. He was accompanied by another team-mate Brandon McNulty as well as Biniam Girmay (Intermarché - Wanty), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno - X) and Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team). The gap to the leading group was still 20 seconds at the start of the final twelve kilometre lap. However, the group around Pogacar was unable to work together. The Slovenian was caught again three kilometres before the finish.

Instead, Alaphilippe attacked two kilometres before the finish on the Cote de la Montagne, saving a few metres of lead into the finish.