Gallery: No stopping Michael Matthews in Montreal as Canadians animate breakaway
Charles-Étienne Chrétien, Adam Roberge, Nigel Ellsay and Hugo Houle ride in the breakaway in front of the home crowd
Team Canada honoured Clément Ouimet who passed away after being struck my a car on Mont-Royal.
Daryl Impey and UCI President David Lappartient.
Guillaume Boivin live streaming the team presentation.
Michael Matthews has a last minute chat on the phone before the start.
Nicolas Zukowsky leads the break at the 2018 GP Montreal with Adam Roberge and Nigel Ellsay close behind.
The peloton was still all together the second time up Camillien-Houde.
The peloton rushes through the streets of Montreal.
Sunweb controlled the gap when the breakaway did get away but Canadians were front and centre in the peloton.
Alex Cataford in the peloton.
The breakaway lead by the races youngest rider, Charles-Étienne Chrétien.
Guillaume Boivin and Ben Perry talk strategy in the peloton.
The peloton on the :olytechnique climb
Hugo Houle was having fun riding in the break.
The breakaway rode well for the day.
Nigel Ellsay made it into the breakaway to ensure his Rally team were well represented.
James Piccoli was racing in front of friends and family but unfortunately crashed the last time up Camillien-Houde.
Chrétien was the first rider to fall off the pass of the breakaway but his effort allowed the others to stay ahead a little longer.
Sonny Colbrelli pushed Michael Matthews right to his limit. Photo: Oran Kelly
Michael Matthews celebrates his 2018 win in Montreal. Photo: Oran Kelly
The racing in Montreal at the second of two one-day WorldTour races in Canada delivered for the thousands of fans that lined the roads. Four Canadians rode in the breakaway receiving the adoring cheers of friends and family. Nigel Ellsay represented Rally Cycling while Hugo Houle of Astana gave the move WorldTour firepower. Team Canada riders Charles-Étienne Chrétien, the younges rider in the race, and Adam Roberge are familiar to the crowd both riding for local UCI team Silber Pro Cycling.
The race would eventually be decided in a sprint after a flurry of attackes failed to ruin the dissolve of the pursuing peloton. Michael Matthews sealed the victory in a hard fought victory against Sonny Colbrelli with last years winner Greg Van Avermaet in third place. Guillaume Boivin was the top Canadians coming home in 19th.
