Canada’s team for the Grand Prix Cyclistes de Quebec et de Montreal, a who’s-who of talent, revealed

This year’s edition of the Grand Prix Cyclistes de Quebec et de Montreal will bring riders to the routes of Quebec City and Montreal in September, on the 11th and the 13th. It’s the sixth of its kind since the inaugural event back in 2010, and as in the races of past years, organizers have extended an invitation to the national men’s road racing team to participate. As ever, it allows Canada’s top riders the chance to compete against a world-class field, and to do so with the decisive eyes of UCI WorldTeams upon them.

For the 2015 competitions, Cycling Canada has once again chosen an eight-man national team roster for the races — the only two UCI WorldTour events in the Americas.

Representing a cross-section of Elite and U23 classes, this year’s team brings together Optum’s Ryan Anderson and teammates Michael Woods and Guillaume Boivin with Team Smartstop’s Rob Britton, Silber’s Benjamin Perry, Alex Cataford and Ryan Roth, and Adam de Vos of Team H&R Block. All of them represent the best of Canada’s best, and in a year that has seen Canadian riders playing decisive, winning roles on teams based both domestically and abroad, that means even more.

Britton, of course, won general classification standings at the Tour of the Gila, while Woods took stage 2 of the Tour of Utah, and also claimed second overall in general classification. Ryan Anderson, meanwhile, finished both the Delta UCI road race and the Canadian national championship road race in second position, while Roth, in addition to a second-overall finish at the GP Saguenay, came in behind Boivin and Anderson at the Canadian Championships in third.

With six riders boasting either a stage win or a podium, Canada’s representation has ample reason to be going into the races with a lot of confidence. Still, says Kevin Field, the men’s road manager with Cycling Canada and directeur sportif for the net two races, preparing for both is a matter of thinking strategically, remembering what’s next.

“The objective of the team,” Field said, “will be to have one rider ranked in the Top 10 at the Quebec City event, and activate the peloton and be part of the key breakaways in Montreal. The event will also be a great preparation tool for the 2015 UCI Road World Championships to be disputed in Richmond, Virginia, later in the month. All eight Canadian riders have qualified for the selection pool for this event.”

Considering the national roster, though, it’s hard to imagine better prospects for Canadian riders — especially after this season.

The announcement of Canada’s team in Quebec City and Montreal follows a stellar season for Canadian riders. 33 of Canada’s 49 UCI podium-worthy performances this year were pulled off by participating athletes, while five of Canada’s top six ranked riders are also included in the mix. In addition, Britton, Boivin and Anderson are currently competing in the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado, while all but a single competitor going into the Grand Prix Cyclistes de Quebec et de Montreal — Rob Britton — will be starting at the Tour of Alberta, beginning September 2.

Whether by inviting Team Canada as well as various Pro Continental squads to our events as wild card entries since 2010, the creation of the Criterium National de Montreal this year, or our recent partnership with the Quebec Cycling Federation to financially support the Coupe du Quebec Espoirs road race series,” said Marcel Leblan, vice president of the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Quebec et de Montreal, “the Grand Prix Cyclistes have always been committed to supporting the development of road racing in this country and to encouraging the next generation of local cyclists.”

That race, the Criterium National de Montreal, was added to the race schedule this past June, bringing together UCI riders in junior, U23 and Elite categories.