Each lap amounts to 12.6 kilometres and begins with a section through the Parc des Champs-de-Bataile, a park that’s perched up a cliff overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. At kilometre 4 the route drops down to the river bank and continues on the Boulevard de Champlain. Running from kilometre 5 to kilometre 9, this is the flattest section of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec.
The last 3.5 kilometres of each round are the most interesting. Firstly, the riders tackle the Côte de la Montagne, which is a 375 metres ramp with an average gradient of 10%. The route continues onto the city walls on the narrow Rue de Remparts. At kilometre 10 the next climb appears. Côte de la Potasse is 420 metres at 9%, quickly followed by a 190 metres climb at 7% on the Montée de la Fabrique.
The climbing is not done just yet. The Montée de la Fabrique tops out with 1 kilometre to the finish line remaining. This is a testing uphill drag at approximately 4%.
Sixteen laps, sixteen times these condensed climbs in what eventually will be a testing finale.
Michael Matthews won the last edition of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, thus succeeding Peter Sagan who was victorious in 2017 and 2016.
Another interesting read: results/race report 2019 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec.
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec 2019: route, profile, more
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