September will be an incredibly intense month in Montréal. Minds and dreams are obviously focused on the World Championship (September 20-27), but it would be a mistake to forget that before that there are the now classic appointments with the Grand Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal (September 11 and 13), which this year, necessarily, will receive even greater general attention.

The GP de Montréal, in particular, will take place on the exact same circuit that, two weeks later, will award the rainbow jersey among the elite men. It will therefore be a rare opportunity to get to know the world championship course up close, in a race dynamic. And while the race annually welcomes many prestigious names - just look at the roll of honor - in 2026 there will be almost all those not competing at the Vuelta a España.

The organizers have announced the first names that will be present between Québec and Montréal: Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM), Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe), Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5), and then defending champion Brandon McNulty with Adam Yates and Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike), Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla), Juan Ayuso, Quinn Simmons and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Intermarchè) and Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost).

"Our races have always been excellent preparation for the World Championship, but this year they will be even more so," said race director and World Championship director, Joseph Limare. "We will do a dress rehearsal for what awaits us two weeks later, given that the course is identical. However, it's worth emphasizing one thing: the GP de Montréal is not a test event, but a true WorldTour classic. And as such it will be experienced."