After two years of absence, the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal will be back in September with an organizer who now has a WorldTour license for a third race, but also with a possible announcement concerning the World Road Cycling Championships. 2026 in the metropolis.
A little scalded by all the unforeseen events in the world of events, CEO Sébastien Arsenault still had several good news to announce less than three months before the relaunch of the two events.
Since 2019, the transfer of powers has been completed at the direction of the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal (GPCQM) and the Marathon Beneva de Montréal. The father and founder, Serge Arsenault, will not be far away.
Bike races will therefore be back on September 9 and 11 despite a drop in public investment and cost increases, sometimes going up to 40%. Emergency financial assistance from governments helped weather the crisis.
Air transport, security, the various services and even the shortage of cars still represent a real headache.
The loss of partner Air Transat, which offered a round-trip charter flight from Paris, is also one of the pitfalls to overcome. Discussions with other carriers are ongoing.
“You have the impression of driving without knowing where the arrival is with the pandemic for an entrepreneur. I was afraid of losing the main core of my employees, through demotivation, mental fatigue, but they are there for the right reasons,” explains Sébastien Arsenault.
According to him, it may take a few years to regain some balance. However, from a purely sporting point of view, the sky is much clearer.
Photo Pierre-Paul Poulin
Sébastien Arsenault is very happy to prepare for the return of the Quebec and Montreal Cycling Grands Prix in September.
unique situation
Besides the Tour of the United Arab Emirates, the GPCQM will be the only two WorldTour races outside of Europe this year. Elsewhere, California and Australia have notably given up.
“Teams and riders can’t wait to get back here. I think it’s because of the way they were treated, not just by the organizer, but by the crowd. They make it a priority. The guys want to win here. We had VIP treatment and we try to keep the same level. It was our signature. I have high hopes of succeeding,” adds Mr. Arsenault.
Belgian sensation Wout Van Aert has already announced his intention to contest both events for the first time. However, we do not know the impact of holding the World Championships the following week, very far away in Australia.
A partnership with our neighbours?
The idea of a third race has often been mentioned in the past, but the granting of a license by the International Cycling Union is very real. However, we will have to wait until 2024. Estrie, Outaouais and even the Quebec-Charlevoix region are in the plans. Ontario is not excluded.
Within a three-hour drive, the organizer is not closing the door on a race in the United States, but Quebec will take priority. For Quebec and Montreal, the licenses have been renewed until 2025.
“I don’t want a third race below the other two. It takes a year and a half of work and the biggest remains to be done, namely the financing and the location. Technically, it is on the calendar for 2024,” says Mr. Arsenault.
The Critérium national, for the next generation, will also return to Montreal on Saturday, September 10.
The metropolis of Quebec is aiming for 2026
Montreal still wants to organize the 2026 Road Cycling World Championships, and the context seems conducive to such a major event.
For two years, some fans may have forgotten the project, but the dream is far from buried, on the contrary.
The Government of Quebec is being dragged out, but communication is good.
Logically, an announcement could take place before mid-September since the site for 2027, possibly in Haute-Savoie, France, will be confirmed by October. Obviously, the announcement concerning the Quebec metropolis in 2026 must be made before.
“It’s an ambitious project. We will make an announcement soon. I’m waiting for one of the public partners and that can’t go beyond the Grands Prix Cyclistes,” confided Sébastien Arsenault.
1000 athletes
The promoter specifies that he would broadcast this major meeting himself, spread over eight days of competitions with 11 world titles to defend and 1,000 athletes.
Among the sites considered, Jeanne-Mance Park, Mount Royal, Olympic Park, Jean-Drapeau Park and the Old Port of Montreal have been identified.
In 1974, the legendary Eddy Merckx was crowned in Montreal.